Nitish, Modi sworn in as Bihar’s CM, Deputy CM

PATNA - Nitish Kumar and Sushil Kumar Modi were sworn in as Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar for a consecutive second term on Friday.

Besides Kumar and Modi, 18 MLAs from the Janata Dal (United) and 10 from alliance Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were also sworn in as ministers by State Governor Devanand Konwar.

Kumar and Modi took charge of the administration in the state two days after alliance between JD(U) and BJP secured a landslide victory in the six-phase state assembly polls, results of which were announced on November 24.

BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, and actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha also attended the oath taking ceremony.

Underlining the limitations of accommodation in the ministry, Kumar said: “We will ensure honour and respect for all. Don’t say that you have won. As I have said, it’s the people’s victory. Just start work.”

On Thursday, Nitish Kumar was invited to form the government by Governor Devanand Konwar. He was accompanied by JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley.

“The governor has invited me to form the government tomorrow at 2.30 p.m. at the Gandhi maidan,” said Kumar

Jaitley said NDA’s win was “a victory of hope over disappointment. It is expected that the new government will further live up to the expectations and aspirations of the people”.

The 115-member JD (U) Legislature Party, at a meeting here, elected Kumar as its leader. Kumar’s name was proposed by senior party leader and Bochaha MLA Ramai Ram and seconded, among others, by Sahid Ali Khan, elected to the State Assembly from Sursand, besides state JD(U) chief Vijay Kumar Choudhary.

Modi was elected unanimously the leader of the 91-member BJP Legislature Party at a separate meeting in presence of senior party leaders, including Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar, Dharmendra Pradhan and state party chief C P Thakur.

Modi’s name was proposed by senior party legislator Nand Kishore Yadav and seconded by his colleagues, including Ashwini Choubey and others present at the meeting.

Addressing the newly-elected members of his party, JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav said it was an “unprecedented victory” as Nitish Kumar had tried his level best to bring to the grass-roots level the ideology of veteran socialists late Ram Manohar Lohia and late Karpoori Thakur. (ANI)