The first session of the newly constituted Bihar Legislative Assembly on Monday witnessed an awkward moment when JD(U)'s newly elected MLA, Vibha Devi, struggled to read out her oath of office. The incident occurred during the oath-taking ceremony for all members of the House.
Oath-Taking Ceremony Seeks Assistance
Vibha Devi, who won the Nawada constituency seat, paused midway through reading the oath. According to reports from the ANI news agency, she sought help from a fellow legislator, who then dictated the lines to her so she could complete the process. Devi is the wife of former MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav and defeated RJD candidate Kaushal Yadav by a significant margin of 27,594 votes.
Grand Opening for the NDA Government
The inaugural session was attended by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, his deputies Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and all newly elected MLAs. The proceedings commenced with an address by Protem Speaker Narendra Narayan Yadav. The oath-taking followed a set protocol, beginning with ministers, then the Leader of the Opposition, and subsequently the remaining MLAs.
The session marked the formal beginning for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, which registered a sweeping victory in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The alliance secured a formidable 202 out of the 243 seats, crossing the 200-seat mark for the second time. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, followed by its ally JD(U) with 85 seats. Other NDA constituents also performed well: LJP (Ram Vilas) won 19 seats, HAMS secured 5, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha took 4.
Opposition Numbers and MLA Priorities
On the opposition side, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) finished with 25 seats, while the Congress managed to win 6. Other parties that won seats include CPI(ML)(L) with 2, AIMIM with 5, and the BSP, IIP, and CPI(M) with one seat each.
Speaking to the media after the session, JD(U)'s MLA-elect Vinay Kumar Chaudhary emphasized his party's commitment, stating, "We work for the public and will continue to do so." Another newly sworn-in MLA, LJP (Ram Vilas)'s Vishnu Deo Paswan, outlined his primary focus. "I want to create employment so that Bihar’s youth are not forced to migrate," he said, adding that "Politics has held Bihar back from the development it deserved."
The event, though briefly marred by the oath-taking difficulty, successfully set the stage for the new legislative term under a powerful NDA mandate, with development and employment expected to be key discussion points.
