With the Bihar election results out, the National Democratic Alliance partners will meet on Sunday to decide who will be the next Chief Minister of Bihar, Janata Dal United chief Nitish Kumar said on Friday.
“The legislature party meeting will happen on Sunday, November 15 at 12.30 PM. Things will be discussed in detail and all decisions will be taken at that time. What is decided will be informed to you all after that meeting,” Mr Kumar told reporters.
In the recently concluded Bihar election, Nitish Kumar’s JDU managed to win only 43 seats, conceding the senior partner status in favour of the BJP, which won 74. The NDA combined won 125 seats, three more than the majority mark in the 243-strong Bihar Assembly.
The RJD, led by 31-year-old Tejashwi Yadav, emerged as the single-largest party with 75 seats. The opposition alliance won 110 seats.
On Thursday, Mr Kumar said that the decision on who will be the next Chief Minister will be taken by the alliance, indicating the matter is still being discussed despite assurances that he would retain the post.
The NDA had announced Nitish Kumar as its chief ministerial candidate before election. However, critics say, the BJP tacitly supported ally-turned-rival Chirag Paswan – who fielded candidates against Mr Kumar’s party but spared the BJP – to stem his size within the alliance.
The BJP, which has been denying the charge, says the election was fought with Mr Kumar as the alliance’s chief ministerial face and he will retain his post.
