Patna, April 14
Samrat Choudhary is set to become the first chief minister of Bihar from the Bharatiya Janata Party after being elected leader of the party’s legislature group.The decision came shortly after Nitish Kumar stepped down from the post, submitting his resignation to Governor Syed Ata Hasnain.
Choudhary, an MLA from Tarapur, was chosen unanimously at a meeting of BJP legislators. The party is currently the largest in the 243-member Bihar assembly, holding 89 seats.
Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who oversaw the leadership vote as central observer, confirmed the unanimous decision.Choudhary is now expected to be formally sworn in as leader of the National Democratic Alliance government in the state.
Earlier, State Minister Ram Kripal Yadav said Kumar had recommended the dissolution of his cabinet before meeting Governor Syed Ata Hasnain to formally step down. Nitish Kumar, the state’s longest-serving chief minister, informed colleagues of his decision during a cabinet meeting, describing the moment as emotional, according to Yadav. Dissolving the council of ministers is a constitutional step required before submitting a resignation.
The broader ruling alliance, the National Democratic Alliance, also includes the Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
