Nitish Likely to Quit as Bihar CM, BJP Set to Form Govt

Bihar finds itself on the cusp of a new political epoch on Tuesday when Nitish Kumar, the state's longest-serving chief minister, is slated to make way for the first-ever BJP-led government in the province.

Kumar, who heads the JD(U) and became a Rajya Sabha MP last week, is expected to tender his resignation shortly after the last meeting of his cabinet, which is scheduled at 11 am. 

"It is a constitutional requirement. The chief minister informs his colleagues about his decision to dissolve the cabinet before meeting



the governor," said Dilip Jaiswal, a senior BJP leader who is also a minister in the outgoing government.

The BJP, which is the single largest party in the 243-strong assembly, with 89 MLAs, will thereafter elect its legislature party leader. 

The meeting of the legislature party is scheduled to be held at the BJP office here around 3 pm. Union minister Shivraj Singh Choudhan, whom the BJP parliamentary board has named central observer for the legislature party leader's election, is expected to fly down for the purpose.