Breaking News Live Updates: Nitish Kumar to be sworn in as Bihar CM for record 10th time

Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar was on Wednesday (19 November), unanimously elected as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Legislature Party leader, clearing the path for the formation of a new NDA government in Bihar.

Kumar, who is poised to take oath as Bihar Chief Minister for a historic 10th term, was first chosen as the JD(U) Legislature Party leader during a meeting with newly elected MLAs at his official residence in Patna. This development reinforces his long-standing leadership within the party and the state.

In a parallel meeting at the BJP’s state headquarters, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were elected as the leader and deputy leader of the BJP Legislature Party, respectively. Their election signals continuity in the BJP’s leadership structure within the coalition.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, appointed as the central observer for the NDA Legislature Party meetings in Bihar, proposed the names of both BJP leaders. The proposals received unanimous support from all MLAs, making it almost certain that Choudhary and Sinha will continue as Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar, as they did in the previous NDA government.

With Nitish Kumar’s unanimous election and the BJP’s leadership decisions in place, the NDA is set to form its next government in Bihar, continuing its existing alliance structure and governance framework.

Follow Firstpost’s LIVE blog for all the latest developments.

Bihar NDA swearing-In ceremony

Nitish Kumar will be sworn in as Chief Minister today at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan. Around 18 ministers, including two deputy chief ministers, are expected to take oath at the 11:30 am ceremony

Bihar is set to witness a major political event today as Nitish Kumar takes oath as Chief Minister for a record 10th time. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at 11:30 am at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, with top national leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah expected to attend.

Below are the 10 key points on the formation of the new NDA government in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar to take oath for 10th time

JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar will be sworn in again as Bihar Chief Minister, extending his nearly two-decade-long leadership in the state. He resigned earlier and then staked claim to form a new NDA government after the alliance’s sweeping victory in the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025.

Oath ceremony at Gandhi Maidan, Patna

The swearing-in will take place at 11:30 am at the iconic Gandhi Maidan. This will be the fourth time since 2005 that Kumar takes oath as CM at this historic venue.

Tight security arrangements for the event

Security has been significantly ramped up:

SPG and Patna Police monitoring the venue

128 CCTV cameras installed

Drones deployed for aerial surveillance

Snipers positioned on high-rise buildings

2,500+ security personnel, 250 police officers, and 250 magistrates on duty

Heavy traffic restrictions and barricades around Gandhi Maidan

Officials expect a crowd of over 3 lakh attendees.

PM Modi, Amit Shah, JP Nadda among key attendees

Several top NDA leaders will attend the ceremony, including:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Home Minister Amit Shah

BJP national president JP Nadda

Chandrababu Naidu (TDP chief)

Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister

Mohan Charan Majhi, Odisha CM

Other chief ministers from NDA-ruled states

Deputy CM race: Choudhary & Sinha likely to continue

With Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha elected as leader and deputy leader of the BJP Legislature Party, the two leaders are expected to retain their posts as Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar.

However, BJP leader Mangal Pandey is also reportedly being considered.

Speaker’s post still undecided

The next Assembly Speaker is yet to be finalised.
Possible contenders include:

BJP’s Prem Kumar

JD(U)’s Vijay Chaudhary

Both JD(U) and BJP are reportedly keen on holding the position.

Portfolio allocation under discussion

Talks are underway between JD(U) and BJP regarding key ministries.
Reports indicate that both parties are especially interested in the Home and Education departments, making portfolio negotiations crucial in the coming days.

Likely cabinet size: 30–36 ministers

In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the NDA government is likely to form a Cabinet of 30 to 36 ministers.
Expected distribution:

16 ministers from BJP

14 ministers from JD(U)

Smaller allies to get ministerial positions in proportion to their MLA count

New faces expected in the Cabinet

JD(U), BJP and NDA partners are preparing to introduce several first-time ministers along with experienced leaders. One ministerial berth is likely for every six MLAs of the alliance partners.

NDA secures landslide victory in Bihar Elections 2025

The NDA won 202 out of 243 seats, registering a decisive mandate in the state.
Seat tally:

BJP: 89 seats

JD(U): Major share in the alliance

Mahagathbandhan: Reduced to just 36 seats