Bihar will again see growth propelled by ‘double engine’ govt: BJP

BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were also administered the oath of office by the Bihar governor at the Raj Bhavan in Patna.

New Delhi: Bihar will again see growth propelled by a “double engine” government with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm at the Centre and a Nitish Kumar-led NDA dispensation in the state, senior BJP leaders said on Saturday.

Janata Dal (United) president Kumar took oath as chief minister of Bihar for a record ninth time after a dramatic volteface, ditching the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and the opposition INDIA bloc, and forming a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago.

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BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were also administered the oath of office by the Bihar governor at the Raj Bhavan in Patna, with Kumar later telling reporters there that they will be deputy chief ministers.

“Bihar will again see growth propelled by double engine, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm at the Centre,” BJP chief JP Nadda told a press conference in Patna after attending the swearing-in ceremony of Kumar and seven others.

In a post on ‘X’, he said, “Congratulations to Shri Nitish Kumar ji on taking oath as the chief minister of Bihar again. Congratulations to Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and all those who took oath as ministers.” “I have full confidence that under the guidance of Modi ji, Nitish ji’s government will realise the resolve of a developed and self-reliant Bihar,” Nadda said.

Kumar was sworn in as chief minister, hours after he resigned from the post, saying “things were not working well” for him in the ‘Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)’ — comprising the Congress, the RJD and three Left parties — and the INDIA bloc.

He had joined the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in august 2022, when he had snapped ties with the BJP by accusing it of trying to “split” his JD(U). Following this, Kumar had embarked on a drive to bring together all parties across the country to take on the BJP and that culminated in the formation of the opposition INDIA bloc.

After the swearing-in ceremony in Patna, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on ‘X’ said, “Congratulations to Shri Nitish Kumar on taking oath as the chief minister of Bihar once again as well as Samrat Chaudhary ji and Vijay Sinha ji on taking oath as deputy chief ministers”.

“My best wishes to all for this new team to start a new chapter of development and public welfare in Bihar,” he said.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said he was confident that “this strong team of the NDA” in Bihar will serve the people of the state with an unwavering commitment under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and work for the state’s development.

“Hearty congratulations to Honorable Nitish KUmar ji on taking oath as chief minister of Bihar and Shri Samrat Choudhary ji and Vijay Kumar Sinha ji on assuming the charge of deputy chief minister,” Thakur wrote on ‘X’.

“I am confident that this strong team of the NDA in Bihar will serve the people of Bihar with an unwavering commitment under the leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, work for development and leave no stone unturned in fulfilling the dreams of the people,” the minister added.