Nitish Kumar likely to take oath as Bihar CM tomorrow with BJP's backing

Nitish Kumar looks all set to take oath as Bihar Chief Minister for a record ninth time with BJP's backing in what appears to be like 2020 rerun. Reports of an imminent change in government cast a shadow over the current 'Mahagathbandhan' ruling coalition.

While the drama in the state unfolds, the BJP has convened a meeting of its MPs and MLAs to strategise for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. 

State BJP chief Samrat Choudhary, however, has downplayed speculations of a renewed alliance with Nitish Kumar.

Nitish Kumar has reportedly convened a session of the legislative party at 10 am today. Nitish Kumar's solo appearance at the Republic Day tea at Raj Bhavan yesterday, without his deputy Tejashwi Yadav by his side, set tongues wagging of possible discord. 

Once the senior NDA partner in Bihar, the JD(U) found itself shrinking and falling behind BJP in 2020. Nitish had been upset with the BJP since his party’s tally in the Assembly plummeted from 71 in 2015 to 43 seats in the 2020 polls while the BJP’s seat count increased from 53 to 74. This disenchantment led to the split then. 

The Congress, meanwhile, plans to discuss preparations for Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,' set to enter Bihar on Monday, with public meetings scheduled in Kishanganj, Purnea, and Katihar.

The Bihar government has transferred 22 IAS, 79 IPS and 45 Bihar Administrative Service (BAS) officers. The transferred officers included five district magistrates (DMs) and 17 SPs. According to a notification by the general administration department, Patna DM Chandrasekhar Singh, a 2010-batch IAS officer, has been made special secretary in the chief minister’s secretariat.