Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar likely to switch on Sunday, may take oath as CM with BJP support
New Delhi/IBNS: Nitish Kumar will be sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar for a ninth time on Sunday with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party, after his speculated u-turn from the INDIA alliance, media reports said.
The BJP plans to get two Deputy Chief Minister berths, similar to the deal after the 2020 election.
Kumar has reportedly called a meeting of the legislative party at 10 am.
Large-scale transfers of district magistrates are happening in Bihar, amid reports of an impending change in government.
The Assembly won't be dissolved, and a poll won't be held, at this time. Bihar will vote next year anyway, so, understandably, neither party is in a rush. The immediate focus will be on the Lok Sabha election to be held in a few months.
Both the BJP and the Janata Dal (United) have summoned their respective MPs and MLAs to close the deal.
Kumar met Governor Rajendra Arlekar this evening, for a tea party hosted on Republic Day every year.
However, his deputy Minister Tejashwi Yadav, whose Rashtriya Janata Dal is part of the present government, was absent.
Kumar may even share the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his February 4 rally in Bettiah, said reports.
With this, the INDIA bloc will receive a major jolt as besides Kumar's u-turn politics, two key leaders Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal had announced to contest alone in the Lok Sabha polls ruling out any alliance with the Congress and saying they would go solo in Bengal and Punjab.
Significantly, the terms of Nitish Kumar's ghar wapsi are said to include a reduction in Lok Sabha seats offered to the JDU.
In 2019 the party contested 17 and won 16 seats, but will have to settle for 12-15 seats now, given its weakened position - coming off this switch - and the need to accommodate other NDA partners.
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