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Nitish Kumar To Be Sworn In As Bihar CM Today

Nitish Kumar To Be Sworn In As Bihar CM Today
PATNA, INDIA - FEBRUARY 20: JD (U) senior leader Nitish Kumar after Jitan Ram Manjhi resigned as Bihar Chief Minister on February 20, 2015 in Patna, India. Former chief minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar will get back the reins of Bihar on February 22 capping a fortnight-long political drama which ended in an anti-climax with rebel JD(U) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi resigning as chief minister shortly before the floor test sensing imminent defeat. (Photo by Arun Abhi Abhi/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Hindustan Times via Getty Images
PATNA, INDIA - FEBRUARY 20: JD (U) senior leader Nitish Kumar after Jitan Ram Manjhi resigned as Bihar Chief Minister on February 20, 2015 in Patna, India. Former chief minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar will get back the reins of Bihar on February 22 capping a fortnight-long political drama which ended in an anti-climax with rebel JD(U) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi resigning as chief minister shortly before the floor test sensing imminent defeat. (Photo by Arun Abhi Abhi/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will be sworn-in today as the new chief minister of the state. He is expected to take his oath at 5 pm. This will be the fourth time he will be CM.

Kumar had resigned as CM last year. Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has asked him to prove his majority in the Bihar Assembly on March 16.

The leader addressed a gathering outside his house, apologising with folded hands for resigning as chief minister last year, reported PTI, assuring that he will not commit the same mistakes in the future.

"With folded hands, I apologise to the people of Bihar. Never again will I take such a step. I am ready to lead from the front," he said.

Kumar has said that he will "readily work with the honourable Prime Minister... in the interest of Bihar."

Other parties are yet to make a final decision on whether they would join the Nitish-led government.

RJD which has 24 members, Congress 5, CPI 1 and an independent stood solidly behind Kumar throughout the political crisis and its MLAs joined JD(U) legislators to take the total to 130, reported PTI. The members were present both at the Raj Bhavan and outside Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi to prove their numbers.

"Congress will take a decision (on joining the government) after Nitish Kumar proves his majority on the floor of the House," Bihar PCC president Ashok Choudhary said on Saturday.

He said he has acquainted the party high command with the latest political situation in the state and would act according to instructions received from it after the trust vote.

Choudhary, however, said Congress support to Kumar was already there irrespective of the fact whether it joins his ministry or not.

CLP leader Sadanand Singh echoed similar views. RJD state president Ram Chandra Purbe said party chief Lalu Prasad would take a decision on the matter.

"These are policy decisions for which Lalu Prasad is authorised to take a decision," Purbe told and added that Prasad would be present at Kumar's swearing in ceremony tomorrow.

Lone CPI MLA Subodh Roy also said party would take the decision on whether to join ministry or continue support from outside.

Independent member Dulal Chand Goswami is all set to be part of the ministry.

Meanwhile, a lunch is being hosted today at Nitish Kumar's residence for all supporting legislators and senior leaders of JD(U), RJD, Congress, CPI.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Uttar Pradesh counterpart Akhilesh Yadav are likely to attend the oath ceremony at Raj Bhavan today at 5 pm.

Nitish ji has invited me to his oath ceremony on Sunday. Yes, I am attending. Looking forward.

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 20, 2015

Kumar has invited SP President Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad and JD(S) chief H D Devegowda among others over telephone for the oath function.

Meanwhile former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who resigned on Friday after high drama in the last few days, has refuted reports of him joining the Bharatiya Janata Party and extended his best wishes to former boss and senior JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar for his swearing-in ceremony.

"I extend my greetings to Nitish ji for the swearing-in ceremony. I will attend if I am invited," said Manjhi.

"There is no truth in that (on joining the BJP), we will decide our future course on 28th. I avoided a lot of bad things for Bihar by just resigning," he added.

(with agency inputs)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.