PATNA: Amid a buzz over Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigning from his post, senior leaders of Janata Dal (United) on Saturday met him at his official residence, 1 Anne Marg in the state capital.
The meeting, which lasted for nearly two hours, mainly focused on the formation of the next government under the leadership of a BJP chief minister.
Sources said that Nitish is reportedly to submit his resignation from his post after chairing the last cabinet meeting, likely to be held on April 13.
Preparations for the transition of power are underway with Nitish shifting his belongings, particularly furniture, from the chief minister’s official residence to a new building at 7 Circular Road, where he is expected to move after stepping down.
The development comes a day after Nitish took oath as a Rajya Sabha member on April 10.
The oath was administered by Rajya Sabha chairman C P Radhakrishnan in his chamber. Several senior leaders, including Union Ministers J P Nadda, Nirmala Sitharaman, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Ramnath Thakur and Sanjay Jha, were present during the ceremony.
A senior JD(U) leader said on condition of anonymity that this time, CM will be from the BJP, while JD(U) will have two deputy CMs in the new government.
The portfolios that both the BJP and JD(U) have in the present cabinet will remain unchanged.
He, however, clarified that some new faces from JD(U) may be inducted as ministers in the new cabinet. Nitish’s son Nishant Kumar and another JD(U) leader are expected to serve as deputy CMs.
Besides Nishant, the name of another deputy CM is also being finalised.
Meanwhile, JD(U) leader Awadhesh Kumar, who is considered close to Nitish, told media persons in Nalanda that Nishant Kumar should replace Nitish.
He said that the issue has been discussed within JD(U).
Earlier, posters featuring Nishant as the next CM were erected outside the JD(U) office in Patna. Former Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha reiterated that the next government in Bihar would function under Nitish’s guidance.
In response to a media query, Kushwaha has also said that the new government would follow the Nitish Model.
