Speed Post News Network
Patna : Decks were cleared on November 12, 2020, for the formation of a new government in Bihar with CM Nitish Kumar, handing over to Governor Fagu Chauhan the resignation of his ministry and the recommendation to dissolve the state assembly. Governor Chauhan accepted the resignation and asked Nitish Kumar to continue as the caretaker chief minister till the new NDA government is sworn in. The Governor dissolved the State Assembly following a recommendation of the State Cabinet to this effect.
Earlier, leaders all the four constituents of the NDA : JD(U), BJP, HAM (S), and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) met informally at 1, Anne Marg, the Chief Minister’s official residence, where it was decided that all the newly elected NDA MLAs will meet on November 15, 2020, and formally elect Nitish as their leader. The meeting will start at 12:30 pm on November 15, Nitish said.
At the cabinet meeting, which lasted hardly 10 minutes, the chief minister thanked all his cabinet colleagues for their cooperation. Despite the BJP emerging as the largest party in the ruling alliance with 74 seats, 31 more than the JD(U), the top leadership of the saffron party including PM Narendra Modi, has endorsed Nitish Kumar as the next chief minister. He was declared the NDA’s chief ministerial candidate much before the election process had started.
The informal meeting of NDA leaders discussed the representation of each constituent in the new cabinet and election of the assembly Speaker.
Speculation is rife that the BJP might push for an EBC or a Dalit as a Deputy Chief Minister. One of the names doing the rounds for the Deputy CM’s post is that of Kameshwar Chaupal, a Dalit with deep roots in the Sangh who was famously chosen for laying the foundation stone at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya in the 1990s.
Meanwhile, the NDA which has three more MLAs than the magic figure of 122, received a shot in the arm when Independent legislator from Chakai in Jamui District Sumit Singh met the chief minister and extended support. Sumit is the son of former Minister Narendra Singh.