Nitish to take oath as Bihar CM on Feb 22

Patna, Feb 20: Nitish Kumar will take oath as chief minister of Bihar on February 22, ending weeks of political uncertainty in the state.

Kumar, who held half an-hour long meeting with Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi at the Raj Bhavan here, told reporters that he will take oath as chief minister of Bihar on February 22 at 5 PM.

He said the Governor had asked him to prove majority on the floor of the house in three weeks time before March 16.

He was accompanied by the MLAs of JD(U), Congress, RJD, CPI and an independent legislator.

Kumar said his government would take a decision to call the new budget session of Bihar Assembly and fix a date for speech of Governor in the joint session. Kumar said JD(U) and its supporters had already staked claim to form the government on February 8 and reiterated it when he and other leaders met Tripathi on February 9.

"Today we repeated our claim and said in today's situation we once again stake claim to form a new government," he told reporters waiting outside Raj Bhavan.

"The governor accepted the plea and invited me to take oath on February 22 evening," he added.

JD(U) state President Basistha Narayan Singh, senior party leader Vijay Chaudhary, Bihar PCC president Ashok Choudhary and CLP leader Sadanand Singh, RJD state president Ramchandra Purbe and RJDLP leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui, CPI MLA Subodh Roy and independent MLA Dulal Chand Goswami accompanied Kumar to the Raj Bhawan.

Asked if those supporting him would be part of the new government, Kumar did not give any categorical answer.

"At the moment a new government will be formed," he said. Kumar also expressed 'deep pain' over the report of Nalanda International University Chancellor Amartya Sen deciding to step down and said he would talk to him personally.