Nitish Kumar Set to Make History as Bihar CM for Record 10th Time, NDA's Future Takes Shape

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Bihar is poised to witness a historic moment as Nitish Kumar prepares to take oath as the state's chief minister for a record 10th time. The ceremony, scheduled for 11 am on Thursday at Patna's iconic Gandhi Maidan, promises to be a grand affair with several high-profile attendees, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers. Nitish, 74, has been the CM of Bihar for a majority of the last two decades, defying anti-incumbency for the fifth consecutive term. His party, JD(U), has emerged stronger, winning 85 seats in the 243-member state assembly. As Nitish submits his resignation to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, paving the way for the 18th assembly, all eyes are on who will be his deputies and ministers in the new NDA government. The swearing-in ceremony is significant not only for Nitish but also for Gandhi Maidan, which has hosted several historic events, including India's Independence celebrations and the JP Movement. This will be the fourth time Nitish has taken oath at the historic maidan. The distribution of cabinet berths is a topic of discussion among NDA constituent parties. With a maximum of 36 ministers, including the chief minister, both the BJP and JD(U) are eyeing key portfolios like home and education. The question of whether the next government will have two deputy CMs or one remains to be seen. In the outgoing government, Nitish had two deputies, while the Mahagathbandhan government had only one deputy. The re-election of Samrat Choudhury and Vijay Kumar Sinha, who were deputies in the outgoing government, adds to the speculation. The NDA's future takes shape as Nitish prepares to take oath for a record 10th time, with all eyes on the new government's composition and key portfolios.