Nitish Kumar my personal choice: Chirag Paswan on Bihar CM post

Union minister and LJP (RV) chief Chirag Paswan on Saturday said he "personally" felt that JD(U) president Nitish Kumar should continue as the Chief Minister of Bihar.

Speaking after meeting the CM in Patna, Chirag said, "My personal choice would be Nitish Kumar. We have fought the polls under his leadership. But I understand that the CM's selection is done after following a process."

Chirag's stand is a complete shift from 2020 when he had vowed to remove Nitish as the CM and fielded his candidates on all seats where the JD(U) was contesting, ensuring that the party was reduced to 43. This time the JD(U) won 85 seats and the LJP (RV) 19. The LJP (RV) had won only one seat in 2020.

Chirag charged the opposition with creating a "false narrative" that he was not on good terms with the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar. "They tried to create differences between us, and even Jitan Ram Manjhi and me. Nothing worked," he said while praising PM Narendra Modi for leading the poll campaign and Home Minister Amit Shah for being the Chanakya of the NDA's election strategy.

Chirag was among the first to meet Nitish on Saturday. "When I met him, Nitish told me that he had gone all the way to Bakhtiyarpur to vote for the helicopter (LJP's election symbol). I told him that I went to Alauli in Khagaria district to vote for the JD(U). Both the candidates won," Chirag remarked.

Chirag was the first among the NDA partners to hold a meeting of all 19 newly elected MLAs. He announced that Raju Tiwari would be the leader of his group in the Assembly.

"I have told the MLAs to raise issues related to the development of their respective constituencies but closely coordinate with other NDA partners," he said.

On the other hand, the BJP has neither announced Nitish as the CM face nor denied it. "There are certain processes which have to be followed. Our newly elected 89 MLAs are busy holding thanksgiving functions in their respective seats. We will later meet and elect our Assembly leader. All our partners will do the same. Then all NDA MLAs will hold a meeting to elect the leader," said state BJP president Dilip Jaiswal, hinting that the process may take a few more days.

BJP sources said the issues related to the number of ministers for each alliance partner, the portfolios, Deputy CM posts and other issues have to be dealt with also. There were hints that many ministers may not make it to the new Cabinet. However, Samrat Choudhary is likely to continue in the post.

The issue of the new Assembly Speaker would also have to be resolved. In the past, between the BJP and JD(U), the post went to the larger partner. The swearing-in ceremony may take some more time despite Chirag and HAM leader Suman Kumar backing Nitish.

Meanwhile, newly elected JD(U) MLAs also met Nitish on Saturday. When asked who would be the next CM, Union minister and JD(U) leader Lalan Singh said, "We have been maintaining that there is no vacancy for the post."