Nitish Kumar sworn in as Bihar CM for seventh time in last 20 years, will have two deputy CMs

PATNA: JD(U) president Nitish Kumar was on Monday sworn-in as CM of Bihar for a record seventh time in the last 20 years, amidst boycott of events by opposition Mahagathbandhan including RJD, Congress and Left parties.


69-year old Nitish was administered oath of the office at Rajendra Mandap in the Raj Bhavan premises by Governor Phagu Chauhan, just a day after he staked claim for the formation of a new government in the state, submitting the letter of support of all legislators of the four NDA allies namely –JD(U) (43 legislators), BJP (74), HAM-S (4) and VIP (4).


Besides Nitish, the Governor also administered the oath of office to 14 other ministers including two deputy CMs Tar Kishore Prasad and Renu Devi (both from BJP), replacing Sushil Kumar Modi who had been Nitish's deputy for around 12 years.

Soon after their oath, Tar Kishor and Renu were provided chairs at the main dais alongside Nitish Kumar, giving enough signal that the both would be given the status of deputy CM. Other ministers were guided to sit at the place earmarked for them.

It is for the first time there will be two deputy CMs in Bihar at a time. In the past, leaders were made deputy CM in six previous governments, but only one deputy CM at a time.

After the two deputy CMs, JD(U)’s senior leader and former speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary,

Bijendra Kumar Yadav

, Ashok Choudhary, Mewalal Choudhary and Sheela Kumari were administered oath of office. After that HAM(S) Santosh Kumar Suman, VIP’s Mukesh Sahni and BJP’s Mangal Pandey, Amarednra Pratap Singh, Ramprit Paswan, Jiwesh Kumar and Ram Surat Kumar took oath of the office from the governor.

Of the total 14 ministers, seven hail from BJP, five from JD(U), one each from smaller allies the HAM(S) and the VIP.

Of total 15, CM Nitish Kumar and BJP’s Mangal Pandey are not MLA, both are the MLCs (member of legislative council). Two other ministers (Ashok Choudhary and Mukesh Sahni) are not members of any of the two legislative houses in the state, while the rest are MLAs. Choudhary and Sahni might be made MLCs against the nomination quota.

Of the 14 ministers, nine are the first-time ministers. The new faces in Nitish cabinet are deputy CM Tar Kishore Prasad, Mewalal Choudhary, Sheela Kumari, Santosh Kumar Suman, Mukesh Sahni, Amarendra Pratap Singh, Ramprit Paswan, Jiwesh Kumar and Ram Surat Kumar.

Soon after taking oath, Nitish said, "Based on the people’s mandate, the NDA has once again formed the government in the state. We will work together and serve the people.”

“As our CM has said we will work more to ensure more development across the state. Development will be our agenda,” former speaker and minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said.

To a question on Sushil Modi not returning as his deputy, Nitish told reporters, “It is the decision of the BJP to not field Sushil Modi as the deputy CM.”

Region-wise, a maximum of five ministers hail from Mithila region in north Bihar, while one minister each hail from Kosi, Seemanchal, Magadh, Shahabad, Champaran, Tirhut, Saran and Munger region.

The new cabinet will hold its first meeting on November 17 (Tuesday), a government official said.

Prominent NDA leaders who attended the swearing-in ceremony were Union home minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda, Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh, former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadanvis, Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Nityanand Rai, BJP general secretary and Bihar Incharge Bhupender Yadav, BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal and JD(U) state president Bashishtha Narain Singh.

Two decades ago, Nitish was first sworn in as the Bihar CM in March 2000, for a term that lasted barely a week as he failed to muster a majority and returned as a minister at the Centre in the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Five years later, he returned with the JD(U)-BJP alliance winning a majority in November 2005. Upon completion of his five year tenure, Nitish again returned as CM in November, 2010 after the JDU-BJP coalition won a landslide victory in the assembly election.

Nitish stepped down in May, 2014, taking moral responsibility for the JD(U) poor show in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He once again returned as the CM in February, 2015 when a rebellious Jitan Ram Manjhi was elbowed out.