Nitish Kumar set to become fourth Bihar CM

Janata Dal (United) Chief Nitish Kumar on Sunday was named as the next Chief Minister of Bihar, in National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting at Patna. This will be Nitish's fourth consecutive term and will make him one of the longest-serving CMs of India.

A meeting of the BJP legislature party, which was to precede the one going on was deferred as it was to begin at 10 A.M. in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who has been sent as an observer. However, Singh arrived at the airport nearly two hours behind schedule and legislators waiting at the Birchand Patel Marg state headquarters were sounded off that they should rush to 1, Anney Marg, the CM's Nitish Kumar official residence where leaders of the JD(U) headed by Kumar, Jitan Ram Manjhis HAM and Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insaan Party were also present.

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Veteran leaders were present

Other senior leaders like former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the states in charge for the recent assembly polls, and Bhupendra Yadav, national general secretary in-charge for Bihar, also reached the CM's residence.Before the start of the NDA meeting, Kumar was elected leader of the JD(U) legislative party by his party legislators.

Sushil Modi accompanied Rajnath Singh from the state guest house to the chief minister's residence giving credence to the speculations in this regard.

JDU's poor performance

Despite BJP emerging as the largest party in the ruling alliance in Bihar with 74 seats, top BJP leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah has endorsed Nitish Kumar as the next chief minister of the state.

It may be noted that the JD(U) has lost a considerable amount of vote share and just managed to win 43 seats in the Bihar elections. Nitish Kumar had said that parties which had tried to downsize JD (U), BJP will take a call on that.

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