Amid winning the elections in a thin margin, JD(U) Chief Nitish Kumar is all set to sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the fourth consecutive time. He is expected to take oath as the Chief Minister on Monday following which he would begin his next five-year term in office. 

The development that Nitish Kumar would retain the office has come when it was speculated that BJP, part of the JD(U) alliance, was said to be considering to replace him with a Dalit candidate to enhance the base of the Central ruling party in the state. According to reports, Nitish Kumar was unanimously elected as the leader of NDA at the legislative assembly on Sunday. 

The NDA had convened its party meeting on Sunday at Nitish Kumar's residence in Patna. The meeting was attended by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Nitish Kumar, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Mukesh Sahni's Vikassheel Insaan Party during which Nitish Kumar was declared as the Chief Minister. 

With a thin majority, JDU's elected legislators voted for Nitish Kumar to be the Chief Minister following which the Chief Minister had met with Governor Phagu Chauhan at Raj Bhavan and staked claim to form the next government in the state. The reports say that Nitish Kumar is likely expected to take oath as Chief Minister on Monday. 

In the 243 assembly seats, the NDA alliance had got 125 seats, three above the majority mark. Comparatively, BJP had gained a stronghold in the state while the ruling JD(U) trailed in its membership in the assembly. While Nitish Kumar's party won 71 seats in 2016, it had only managed to win 43 seats in the current election while the Central ruling party had won 74 seats and added a crucial boost for the NDA to cross the majority mark.

As NDA survived from the debacle through BJP's resounding victory,  it stirred speculations that BJP would claim the office of the Chief Minister with more numbers in the alliance. The reports say that BJP could name a Dalit candidate as the Chief Minister to enhance the party's base in the state. However, amid the speculations, the NDA had on Sunday unanimously declared Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister for five more years. 

Initially, the BJP said that it will endorse Nitish Kumar as the Chief Ministerial candidate. However, after having a strong victory, some of the senior leaders of the party had said that the party must claim the office of the Chief Minister owing to JDU's flawed performances in the election. Nitish Kumar had been aware of the fact that there could be a change of mind from the BJP and he had earlier said that NDA will take a call on the Chief Ministerial candidate. 

The drama had come to an end on Sunday after the coalition had named Nitish Kumar as the Chief Ministerial candidate. He had met the Governor and claimed to form the next government. After meeting the Governor, Nitish Kumar said that the swearing-in will take place on Monday evening. The Governor was handed over the letter of support from the NDA and Kumar stated that he will be taking oath at the Raj Bhavan as per the Governor's direction. 

The reports say that after taking the oath of office, Nitish Kumar will create a history by becoming the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar. Following his nomination to be the Chief Minister, Tarkishore Prasad, the legislator from Katihar constituency, has been elected as the JD(U)'s leader in the state assembly. 

Earlier, Nitish Kumar said that he hadn't claimed to be the Chief Minister and added that he would be glad to serve as the Deputy Chief Minister. He further stated that the leaders are committed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of Atmanirbhar Bihar and asserted that the NDA leaders will resolve the issue on who should become the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister. 

As Nitish Kumar has been declared as the Chief Minister, the reports highlight that BJP's Sushil Kumar Modi, who has been the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar since 2005, would hold the office for the next five years and he has been one of the leaders maintaining closest ties with Nitish Kumar. However, though becoming the Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar would less likely be governing independently and he would likely witness a large interference of BJP in his rule in choosing the cabinet posts and passing legislations.