Nitish Kumar’s impending oath-taking ceremony as Chief Minister of Bihar for a record tenth term is expected to be a grand political spectacle—one designed to mirror the overwhelming mandate secured by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the recently concluded assembly elections. Senior leaders from the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] confirmed on Sunday that preparations are already underway to make the event a historic celebration of both continuity and renewed political strength.

According to a JD(U) leader closely involved in the planning, the ceremony’s date will be finalized in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schedule. The prime minister is widely expected to attend the event along with top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. Modi had ended his election campaign on November 9 with a pointed remark: he would “return for the oath ceremony after the NDA’s victory.” With the alliance delivering a resounding result, the stage is now being set for his return as promised.

The process of government formation formally begins with the Election Commission of India’s submission of the list of newly elected MLAs to the governor. JD(U) leaders stated that this list would be sent by Sunday evening, marking the first key procedural step. On Monday, the outgoing government will hold its final cabinet meeting. Nitish Kumar is then expected to meet the governor to officially tender his resignation, after which the process to constitute the new government will begin.

A second JD(U) leader confirmed that discussions on the distribution of cabinet portfolios among NDA partners are nearly final and were broadly agreed upon weeks earlier. While the alliance maintains a stable formula for allocating berths based on seat share, leaders also signaled that the new cabinet will feature a mix of experienced and fresh faces. This restructuring, they said, is designed to reflect the scale of the popular mandate and to meet heightened expectations for governance and development.

Consistent with earlier arrangements in past governments, the Speaker’s post in the Assembly is likely to go to the BJP.

In Delhi, key discussions on government formation were held among Union ministers Sanjay Jha and Lalan Singh of the JD(U), and senior BJP leaders Dharmendra Pradhan and Vinod Tawde. Jha said the final blueprint of the new government would take shape within days. “A big mandate means a big responsibility. We have to carry Bihar’s development journey forward with greater speed and on a larger scale. Everything will be finalized soon—and ahead of time,” he added.

BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal echoed this view, stating that the groundwork was being completed swiftly and that the oath ceremony would be scheduled without delay. “It is just a matter of days,” he said.

With the term of the current Bihar Assembly expiring on November 22, the entire electoral process must conclude before that deadline. To that end, legislature party meetings of all NDA allies, followed by a joint NDA meeting, have been scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. During these meetings, alliance parties will elect their respective leaders. Once the JD(U) and BJP formally endorse their choices, Nitish Kumar will stake his claim to form the government with a joint letter of support from all NDA partners.

A BJP leader familiar with the internal negotiations said that the distribution of cabinet berths would likely follow the established formula—one berth for roughly every six seats won. The NDA secured a commanding 202 out of 243 seats in the assembly, a performance that has reshaped Bihar’s political landscape. In contrast, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the principal opposition party, recorded its lowest-ever tally with just 25 seats.

As the political machinery of the NDA begins to move in full swing, the emphasis from both JD(U) and BJP appears to be on stability, continuity, and accelerated development. The grand scale of the oath-taking ceremony is expected not only to mark Nitish Kumar’s unprecedented tenth term but also to signal the alliance’s intention to build on the momentum of its landslide victory with renewed energy and cohesion.