New Delhi: Newly elected MLAs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will meet in Patna on November 19 to elect their leader before the swearing-in ceremony on November 20.
As many as 202 MLAs of the alliance belonging to five constituent parties – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United)-JDU, Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas)- LJP-R, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)-HAM(S) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) will set to meet in Patna and likely to elect again Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the leader of the NDA.
The leader of the NDA following the meeting will then stake a claim to form the new government in the state.
Earlier on Monday, the state cabinet after holding its last meeting recommended the dissolution of the 17th Legislative Assembly. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after the meeting met with the Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, recommending dissolution of the current assembly by November 19. The CM is likely to hand over his resignation to the Governor on the same day.
Meanwhile preparations are on for the swearing-in ceremony which will be held at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan. The ceremony is likely to be attend by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders of the NDA.
Interacting with the media, JDU MP Sanjay Jha stated that “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 leaders of BJP will also attend the function.”
This comes amidst the ongoing discussion regarding the structure of the new cabinet and distribution of ministerial posts among the alliance parties. As per reports, the coalition partners are considering allocating roughly one ministerial posts for every six MLAs.
Both the BJP and the JDU is likely to be given maximum ministerial slots given the number of MLAs in the 243 seats assembly which can have up to 36 ministers. The NDA alliance secured a thumping majority in the assembly polls by securing victories on 202 out of the 243 seats.
The BJP led the tally among the coalition partners with victories on 89 seats followed by the JDU and LJP whose candidates emerged victorious on 85 and 19 assembly seats respectively. The Mahagathbandhan on the other side only managed to get 35 seats with Rashtriya Janata Dal bagging 25 out of more than 140 assembly seats it contested.
