Nitish sworn in as Bihar CM for record 10th time; 26 ministers also take oath

Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha named deputy CMs

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves a 'gamcha' during the swearing-in ceremony of NDA government, at Gandhi Maidan in Patna

(PTI)

Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took the oath of office for a record tenth term on Thursday at a large public ceremony that drew top national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several chief ministers from states governed by the National Democratic Alliance. The event, held at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, featured a sprawling temporary stage and a gathering designed to signal the coalition's renewed grip on power after a sweeping victory in recent Assembly elections.

Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oath to the 74-year-old leader, who returned to the NDA fold last year after another of his political realignments.

Twenty-six ministers were also sworn in, reflecting a carefully crafted caste and regional balance within the broad alliance. Fourteen of them are from the Bharatiya Janata Party, eight from the Janata Dal (United), two from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and one each from the Hindustani Awam Morcha and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha.

The new council includes a mix of experienced legislators and firsttime ministers. Five Dalits have been assigned berths, spread across the BJP, JD(U), LJPRV, and HAM. Upper-caste leaders also have substantial representation, with eight ministers including four Rajputs, while three Yadavs have been included in what officials described as a Cabinet built around social inclusion. Portfolios for the newly sworn-in ministers are expected to be assigned in the coming days.