Patna is abuzz with activity as preparations are underway for the swearing-in ceremony of Nitish Kumar, who is set to assume the office of Chief Minister of Bihar for a record tenth time on Thursday, November 20. The Janata Dal United (JDU) president's milestone comes after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a significant victory in the recent Assembly elections.

The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the event, along with other senior NDA leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Dharmendra Pradhan. Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers from NDA-ruled states have also been invited.

Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation as head of the outgoing government to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Monday. The last cabinet meeting of the outgoing NDA government authorized Kumar to recommend the dissolution of the Assembly. The Governor is expected to formally dissolve the Assembly on Wednesday.

The new government is expected to have a 35-member council of ministers. Given its improved performance, the JDU could be allocated 15 ministerial berths, including the CM. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which emerged as the largest single party in the Assembly with 89 seats, could get 16 ministerial berths, including a couple of deputy CMs. Other constituents of the NDA, such as Union Minister Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), or LJP (RV), Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) or HAM (S), and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) are also expected to be accommodated in the new cabinet. The LJP (RV) could be allotted three ministerial berths, while HAM (S) and RLM may get one berth each.

Sources suggest that the new cabinet is likely to include five to six fresh faces from the BJP and JDU. Umesh Singh Kushwaha, JDU state chief and Mahnar seat winner, is likely to be inducted.

Nitish Kumar's journey in Bihar politics has been long and eventful. He served as Chief Minister for a short period in 2000, and then from 2005 to 2014, and again from 2015. He also served as Union Minister of Railways. This upcoming term will mark his tenth time holding the office.

The NDA secured a decisive victory in the recent Bihar Assembly elections, bagging 202 seats in the 243-member House. The BJP won the maximum number of seats with 89, followed by the JDU with 85. The RJD-Congress-led Mahagathbandhan suffered a significant setback. Tejashwi Yadav has been elected as the leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly.

As Bihar prepares for the new government, all eyes are on Nitish Kumar as he embarks on his tenth term as Chief Minister, with high expectations from the people to meet their aspirations for development and good governance.