A joint meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislature party will be convened at 12:30 pm on Sunday, 15 November, to formally elect its leader in Bihar, news agency PTI reported on Friday.
Speaking to the media, current chief minister and Janata Dal (United) (JDU) leader Nitish Kumar was quoted as saying, "on 15 November, at 12:30 pm, all the NDA MLAs will hold a joint meeting, all decisions will be notified."
There will be a Cabinet meeting on Friday evening, he added.
The Tribune reported that during the NDA legislature party on Sunday, Kumar “will be elected as its leader”. The decision was taken at an “informal” meeting of leaders of the four NDA constituents in Bihar — the JD(U), BJP, HAM and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) — at the residence of Kumar, the report added.
Defying various exit poll projections, the NDA led by Nitish Kumar achieved a majority in the Bihar elections, winning 125 seats. However, it was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that emerged as the largest party in the alliance, with Kumar's JD(U) having won far fewer seats than it did in 2015.
While BJP leaders have sought to assert that Nitish Kumar will become the chief minister, questions have been raised over his role, considering his party's diminished performance.
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