Key NDA meet in Patna today to choose its leader, discuss govt formation in Bihar

PATNA: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners will meet on Sunday (November 15) to decide who will be the next Chief Minister of Bihar, Janata Dal United (JD-U) leader Nitish Kumar said on Friday.

"The legislature party meeting will happen on Sunday, November 15 at 12.30 PM. Things will be discussed in detail and all decisions will be taken at that time. What is decided will be informed to you all after that meeting," CM Nitish told reporters.

NDA leaders are also expecting that the Chief Minister for the next five years will be decided in the meeting after which they will stake claim to form the government. It is expected that Nitish Kumar, Ashok Chaudhary, Vijay Chaudhary and Vijendra Yadav will be present in the meeting from the JD-U side. From the BJP, Sushil Modi, MoS Home Nityanand Rai and BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal, among others, will be present in the meeting apart from Sahani and Manjhi.

Besides choosing the CM, the leaders will also pitch for Deputy CM, Speaker and ministry portfolios.

In the recently concluded Bihar assembly elections, the BJP had won 74 seats, JD-U 43, while eight seats were won by two other NDA constituents. The NDA combined won 125 seats, which is three more than the majority mark in the 243-strong Bihar assembly. The RJD, led by 31-year-old Tejashwi Yadav, emerged as the single-largest party with 75 seats. The opposition alliance won 110 seats.

On November 12, two days after the Bihar assembly election result were announced, CM Nitish said that decision on who will be the next Chief Minister will be taken by the alliance, indicating the matter is still being discussed despite assurances from BJP that he would retain the post. He told mediapersons that he has not made any claim and decision about the leader of the ruling alliance in the state will be taken by the constituents.

"People have given the mandate to NDA and it will form the government. I have made no claim, the decision will be taken by NDA," he said.