Bihar Oath-Taking LIVE: Nitish Kumar to Be Sworn In as CM; 2 Deputy CMs, 18 Ministers Likely to Take Oath

Nitish Kumar will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record 10th time today, a day after staking claim to form the new government and being elected the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state. The grand swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 am at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, where 18 ministers, including two deputy chief ministers, are expected to take oath.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the ceremony, along with senior BJP leaders Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Dharmendra Pradhan, and chief ministers of at least seven states.

Key Points: Bihar Government Formation

• NDA wins decisive mandate
In the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the NDA—led by the JD(U) and BJP—secured a sweeping majority, winning 202 of 243 seats. The BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, followed by the JD(U) with 85, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) with 19, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) with 5, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha with 4.

• Nitish Kumar resigns, stakes claim again
Nitish Kumar, 75, resigned as chief minister on Wednesday before submitting his claim to form the government with support from all NDA partners. He was first elected JD(U) legislature party leader and then unanimously chosen as NDA leader in Bihar.

• Two deputy CMs to continue
The BJP re-elected Samrat Choudhury as its legislature party leader and Vijay Kumar Sinha as deputy leader, indicating both will continue as Bihar’s deputy chief ministers. According to a BJP leader, 18 ministers, including the two deputies, will take oath today.

• Nitish Kumar’s milestone oath ceremony
This will be Nitish Kumar’s 10th swearing-in, marking an unprecedented milestone in Indian politics. Over the years, the JD(U) chief has changed alliances multiple times, but has remained central to Bihar’s power structure.

• Portfolio allocation underway
NDA leaders held discussions on Wednesday to finalise ministerial berths and portfolio distribution among alliance partners, with talks also covering the Speaker’s post. The final list was expected to be submitted to the governor early Thursday, with ministers informed the same morning.