Mr. Kumar, 64, was administered the oaths of office and secrecy by Governor Ramnath Kovind at a ceremony at the historic Gandhi Maidan here, watched by thousands of supporters and dozens of leaders from several non-BJP parties.
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Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tejaswi Yadav took charge as Bihar’s PWD Minister here on Monday.
Unprecedented security cover has been put in place in Bihar capital for the swearing-in ceremony of Nitish Kumar, who will head the first JD-U-RJD-Congress coalition to rule Bihar.
Asked if Nitish Kumar gave any specific direction to him, Tejaswi Yadav said today’s Cabinet meet was to convene the Assembly session.
Representing Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the dais was central minister M. Venkaiah Naidu.
State Congress president Ashok Choudhary has been allotted human resources department while his party colleague Madan Mohan Jha has been alloted revenue portfolio.
Being the biggest constituent of secular alliance with 80 MLAs, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad managed to win number two and three positions in the Cabinet for his sons Tejaswi and Tej Pratap respectively. His brother Tej Pratap Yadav has been given Health and Environment & Forests.
Veteran RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui got the finance portfolio.
However, the most amusing bit doing the rounds is regarding the stark gap in educational qualification between the chief minister and his deputy, although a person ” s academic merit can ” t be a lone measurer of his or her talent.
As per constitutional provision of Cabinet quota being fixed at 15 per cent of the House strength, Nitish Kumar could have a maximum of 36 members, including himself, in the ministry.
This clarion call, made popular in the run-up to the Bihar elections has now come to a successful conclusion with Nitish Kumar once again becoming the Chief Minister of Bihar. He added that people, particularly the women of Bihar who registered a massive turnout in the recent Assembly elections, “voted in our government asking us to eradicate the liquor menace from the state”. For Baban Chaudhary of Laxmipur in Rohtas, his favourite leader was taking oath for the eighth time.
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Gandhi said result of Bihar poll was indicative of the fact that decision to float grand alliance was right and people had accepted the same.
