Nitish meets guv, prep on for 10th oath as CM

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar met governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Monday to apprise him about the cabinet decision recommending dissolution of the current legislative assembly with effect from November 19, ahead of the oathtaking ceremony likely on November 20.

- Arun Kumar

The developments came on a day the Bharatiya Janata Party convened a meeting of all newly-elected lawmakers to choose the legislature party leader on Tuesday; ally Janata Dal (United) is set to hold its legislature party meeting on Wednesday.

"Chief minister Nitish Kumar met the governor after cabinet authorised him to recommend dissolution of assembly from November 19. A resolution to this effect was unanimously passed in the meeting chaired by Kumar, which lasted for 10 minutes," said Janata Dal United (JDU) minister in outgoing cabinet Vijay Kumar Chowdhary.

"On November 19, Kumar will submit his resignation to the governor as head of the outgoing government," said the JD (U) leader.

The development came days after the National Democratic Alliance won a crushing majority in the assembly elections, defeating the Opposition's Grand Alliance and setting the stage for Kumar to take oath for a record 10th time.

Preparations are underway for the swearing-in ceremony on November 20 at the Gandhi Maidan.

"It will be a big event matching the big victory in the election to take on the big challenge of next generation development the people have given to the NDA government under Nitish Kumar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior central BJP leaders will also attend the function," JD-U working president Sanjay Kumar Jha said.