The process of forming a new NDA government in Bihar began on Monday, with chief minister Nitish Kumar calling on Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to recommend the dissolution of the outgoing assembly from November 19.
Kumar, the JD(U) chief, is scheduled to meet the governor again on Wednesday and submit his resignation along with letters of support from all NDA partners.
According to JD(U) sources, he will be elected legislature party leader on November 19, a day before he takes oath as chief minister for the tenth time at Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
Other members of the new cabinet are expected to be sworn in at the same event.
Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said, "PM Modi will attend swearing-in of new Bihar government on November 20; several chief ministers, deputy CMs will be present."
Inside the NDA, discussions on cabinet allocation have picked up pace. JD(U) sources said the new cabinet could include five to six fresh faces from the JD(U) and the BJP.
Umesh Singh Kushwaha, JD(U) state president and Mahnar MLA, is among the likely inductees.
Along with the JD(U) and BJP, Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM-S and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM will also find representation.
“The LJP (RV) is likely to get three berths, while HAM-S and RLM may get one berth each. A maximum of 16 ministers from the BJP and 14 from JD(U), along with Nitish Kumar, are likely to take oath on November 20,” one of the sources said.
The NDA’s tally crossed 200 seats in the 243-member assembly, leaving the Mahagathbandhan bloc far behind.
Kumar met the governor shortly after chairing the last cabinet meeting of the outgoing government and informed him of the decision to dissolve the assembly from November 19.
In the Opposition camp, newly elected RJD MLAs met and named Tejashwi Yadav as their legislature party leader, spokesperson Shakti Singh said. Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Misa Bharti and Jagdanand Singh were present during the meeting.
The RJD won 25 out of the 143 seats it contested.
Singh said the party believes the mandate does not reflect public sentiment and may approach the court over alleged EVM irregularities.
“The mandate of the Bihar polls did not resonate with the situation on the ground. Despite the anger of the people towards the government, they have got such a mandate. People and politicians are not able to digest this,” he said.
Even as the RJD assesses its defeat, unease within the Lalu Prasad family has added to its troubles.
Rohini Acharya alleged on Sunday that she has been “sworn at” and accused of taking “crores of rupees and a party ticket” in return for a “filthy kidney” she donated to her father.
She blamed party leader Sanajay Yadav and an old associate of Tejashwi’s for the RJD’s poor performance.
Three more of Prasad’s daughters, Rajlakshmi, Ragini and Chanda, left the family home at 10, Circular Road, on Sunday. A video of them at Patna airport, reportedly leaving for Delhi, circulated on social media.
JD(U) state chief Umesh Kushwaha, when asked about the family tensions, said, "This is a family matter and I wish they could live united. But you see, recently, the daughter-in-law of that family came out in public as well. If a person wants to rule Bihar but cannot maintain the respect of female members of his family, it is up to the people to judge."
BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal said the "disrespect of a daughter is very unfortunate".
“If Lalu Yadav or Rohini Acharya are disrespected, even people will not tolerate it. If people know Tejashwi's name today, it is because of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi,” he added.