As political suspense continues over who will become Bihar's next chief minister, Union Minister Chirag Paswan met with incumbent CM Nitish Kumar in Patna on Saturday. The meeting between the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief and the veteran leader comes just days after the National Democratic Alliance registered a historic victory in the Bihar Assembly elections.
Key Meeting Amid Political Speculation
The significant meeting took place at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence in Patna, where Chirag Paswan extended his congratulations on the NDA's resounding success. Paswan confirmed that he led a delegation from his party to formally congratulate Kumar on the alliance's performance in the state polls.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Paswan stated, "I met the CM, congratulated him and extended him best wishes. The NDA registered a historic victory under the leadership of Nitish Kumar." He emphasized that the Chief Minister appreciated the role played by every alliance partner in securing this massive win for the coalition.
Clearing The Air On Alliance Dynamics
Paswan used the opportunity to hit out at opposition parties for what he called "misleading narratives" about the relationship between JD(U) and LJP(RV). He pointed to specific instances of cooperation between the two parties during the elections as evidence of their strong alliance.
"He supported the LJP(RV) candidate when he went to vote. In Alauli, where I vote, I supported the JD(U) candidate. This shows that those people were misleading regarding JD(U) and LJP(RV) and were just setting a false narrative," Paswan explained, highlighting the mutual support between the alliance partners.
The Chief Minister Question
Despite the NDA's clear majority, suspense continues over whether Nitish Kumar will continue as chief minister or if the BJP, which emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, will push for its own candidate. Kumar has held the chief minister's position for decades and is reportedly eyeing another term.
JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak added to the speculation on Saturday by stating, "No one other than Nitish Kumar will take oath. The Chief Minister will decide the date of the oath-taking ceremony."
The political atmosphere in Bihar remains charged with anticipation, as evidenced by posters that have surfaced across the state with slogans such as "Tiger Zinda Hai" and "Hamre Bihar Ka Eke Star, Har Baar Nitish Kumar" expressing support for Kumar's continuation as CM.
Historic Victory For NDA
The NDA secured a commanding position in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, winning 202 seats and achieving a three-fourths majority. This marks only the second time the alliance has crossed the 200-seat mark in state assembly polls, having previously won 206 seats in the 2010 elections.
The final party-wise tally shows the BJP leading with 89 seats, followed by JD(U) with 85, LJP(RV) with 19, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) with 5, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha with 4 seats.
Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan managed to secure only 35 seats, with RJD winning 25 and Congress 6. Other parties including CPI(ML)(L), IIP, CPI(M), AIMIM, and BSP accounted for the remaining seats.
Paswan had earlier expressed confidence about Kumar's continuation, stating before the final results were declared, "I firmly believe that Nitish Kumar will remain the Bihar chief minister." He attributed the NDA's overwhelming victory to the strength of the double-engine government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the center and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the state.
