Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav took oath as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar respectively at 2 pm on Wednesday. It was a simple ceremony held inside Raj Bhavan. More ministers will be inducted into the cabinet at a later stage, sources in Kumar's JD(U) and Yadav's RJD said. Kumar, who dumped the BJP-led NDA on Tuesday, took oath as the CM for the eighth time.
Kumar will head a coalition of seven parties which is supported by an Independent. The effective strength of the state Assembly is 242 and the magic figure is 122. The Left parties are likely to give outside support to the new government "retaining their independent identity". Kumar, 71, said he submitted a list of 164 MLAs to Governor Phagu Chauhan.
Here are the highlights:
# Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav reaches his mother, Rabri Devi's residence. Party workers, locals hold huge celebrations outside the house, burn crackers.
# Those who came to power in 2014, will they be victorious in 2024? I would like all (opposition) to be united for 2024. I am not a contender for any such post (on PM post), says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar
# The party made the decision together to leave BJP. Whether I will stay or not till 2024, they can say what they want, but I will not live in the year 2014, says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.
# Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar Chief Minister for 8th time. Tejashwi Yadav is the new Deputy CM
# Nitish Kumar to take oath as Bihar CM at Raj Bhawan in Patna, shortly.
# Bihar CM-designate Nitish Kumar called RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and briefed him on all the political developments ahead of his oath-taking ceremony. Lalu Prasad Yadav congratulated him and appreciated his decision.
# Political analyst Prashant Kishor says the era of political instability has been ongoing in Bihar for the past 10 years.
"Nitish Kumar is the main actor, catalyst. As a citizen of Bihar, you can only expect that he stands firm on the formation he has now built. I hope political stability returns to Bihar now. Nitish Kumar has said that he is starting a new chapter. I hope he fulfills the aspirations of the people of Bihar," says Kishor.
# RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha says it's 'ghar wapasi' of 2017-2020 mandate
"It's not only a government that'll take oath, it's 'ghar wapasi' of 2017-2020 mandate. It's very important, especially in an era where BJP has decided to mangle democratic values - that only they would remain. Bihar gave a message. It's an oath of people of Bihar," says Jha.
# MoS MHA and BJP MP from Bihar, Nityanand Rai, targets Nitish Kumar for breaking ties with BJP
"Going with RJD & Tejashwi Yadav is a betrayal to the people & mandate of Bihar, to the ideologies of Lohia-JP-George. Going with Congress-RJD proves that Nitish Kumar does everything just to be in power," says Rai.
# RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav shows a victory sign at his residence in Patna.
# Discussion underway in RJD camp on Cabinet expansion.
Alok Mehta, Lalit Yadav, Anita Kumari and Bhai Virendra are frontrunners for Bihar Cabinet from RJD, reports News18.
# BJP MP RS Prasad hits out at Nitish Kumar for joining hands with RJD, Congress.
"Nitish Kumar has been a non-Congress leader. His politics is around non-Congressism. Is that finished? Compromise with corruption and non-Congressism! Nitish Kumar sided with corruption and Congressism. Congratulations. People will give a reply in Lok Sabha and Assembly polls," says Prasad.
# Nitish Kumar will take oath as the Bihar Chief Minister for the eighth time today.
# Besides upsetting political calculations, the move is seen as significant as it diminishes the clout of the BJP in a key state in the Hindi-speaking heartland from where most of its legislators come ahead of the 2024 general elections, which pundits expect it to otherwise win.
First Published: Aug 10, 2022 9:59 AM IST
