The new cabinet in Bihar, under Prime Minister-elect Nitish Kumar, is likely to have two deputy ministers. This is because Kumar’s ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) elected Katihar MLA Tarkishore Prasad and Bettiah MLA Renu Devi as leader and vice chair respectively of their legislative party on Sunday, indicating that there would be two senior vice ministers in the state, both from the BJP.
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Bihar BJP Senior Leader Sushil Kumar Modi had served as Kumar’s deputy since July 2017. It is now being suggested that Modi will move into the BJP-led government in the Center.
Read also | Sushil Modi to step down as Executive Vice President, Tarkishore Prasad could take over
The BJP had won the second-highest number of seats in Bihar’s recently concluded assembly elections, behind Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which won 75 seats. The BJP won 74 seats, while its ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally, Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) won 43 seats. The Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular each won four seats, bringing the NDA tally to 125 and surpassing the 122 majority mark in Bihar’s 243-member assembly.
Earlier in the day, Kumar was elected leader of the NDA’s legislative party, paving the way for him to return as prime minister for five more years. Kumar has been in office since 2005, except for a brief period from May 2014 to February 2015. He met with Governor Phagu Chauhan and called for the formation of a government. Speaking to reporters outside his residence upon returning from the Raj Bhavan, Kumar told reporters that the swearing-in will take place on Monday night.
Read also | Nitish Stakes Claim To Form Bihar Government, Says Swearing-In Ceremony Monday
The NDA achieved an unlikely victory in the Bihar polls, after almost exit polls had given an advantage to the RJD-led opposition alliance, the Mahagathbandhan. The opposition alliance won 110 seats, of which the RJD won 75, Congress 19 and the left-wing parties together won 16 seats.
Read also | Nitish Kumar returns as Prime Minister of Bihar, gets NDA approval at key meeting
The Bihar assembly elections were held in three phases on October 28, November 3 and November 7. The vote counting for the assembly’s 243 constituencies took place on November 10.
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