Win by even one vote is ultimately a victory: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar

Bihar polls saw 1197 candidates with criminal antecedents contesting

According to data made available by the Election Commission here and the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar, 156 cases were registered against "organisers" of rallies and meetings of various leaders and candidates for violating COVID-19 norms.

Row over corruption taint forces Bihar minister to step down hours after taking charge

​​Mewa Lal Chaudhary, who was allocated the portfolio on Tuesday, a day after taking oath, sent his resignation immediately after assuming charge at 1 P.M., informed sources said.

Bihar Opposition attacks Nitish over corruption charges on minister, demands his sacking

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said Choudhary, a former vice chancellor of an agriculture university and a first-time minister, faces serious charges under the Indian Penal Code including cheating and dishonestly (section 420), and criminal conspiracy (120B).

People thought Election Commission was being 'fool-hardy' by holding Bihar polls, but we lived up to challenge: CEC Sunil Arora

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora asserted that he is confident that the EC will be able to hold the next set of assembly polls on time and the internal exercise for those is already underway. Elections are due in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry in May-June next year.

57% Bihar ministers have declared criminal cases against them: Association for Democratic Reforms

Six (43 per cent) of the ministers have declared serious criminal cases against themselves, according to the poll rights group. Serious criminal cases are non-bailable offences with over five years of imprisonment.

Shiv Sena taunts BJP over 'sacrifice' of giving Bihar Chief Minister post to ally JD(U)

In the recently concluded Bihar polls, the BJP bagged 74 seats, while its ally JD(U) won 43. The RJD emerged as the single largest party with 75 seats in the 243-member Assembly.

For first time in history, no Muslim in Bihar ministry

It is for the first time in the post-independence history of Bihar legislative assembly that no minister from the Muslim community would be among the cabinet ministers.

View: What Nitish Kumar must do this term, which will define his legacy

Employment requires immediate attention, which should include expansion of government and private sectors to create new possibilities in the state. The government should invite industry leaders from all over the country and Bihari NRIs to seek their guidance and support to create a conducive environment for investment in the state.

BJP, JDU share portfolios equally in Bihar

JDU state working president Ashok Choudhary has been given social welfare, science and technology and minority welfare ministries, apart from his building construction portfolio he previously held.

Bihar: Nitish Kumar allocates portfolios, keeps home, gives Tarkishore finance

Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad got finance, commercial tax, environment, forest and disaster management, urban development and information technology departments.

'Woman burnt alive in Bihar': Rahul accuses Nitish of 'hiding' incident for electoral gain

"Whose crime is more dangerous? Who did this inhuman act or the one who hid it for electoral gains so as to lay the foundation of his false 'good governance' over this 'misrule'?" Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

AICC brass now faces poaching plots in Bihar

The AICC, reeling under the baggage of the electoral reversal, appears groping in the dark on how to avert a possible desertion and is considering dispatching representatives to Patna or inviting MLAs to Delhi for a meeting after chhath puja, according to a senior functionary.

By opting for new faces, BJP signals its focus on developing a new breed of leadership in state

With seven new ministers in Kumar’s team and five of them from BJP, the national party has clearly indicated that it was focusing on developing a new breed of leadership. Barring Devi and Mangal Pandey, the other five ministers from BJP have never held any ministerial post.

Team Nitish represents NDA’s core voters; HAM & VIP too get space

BJP has selected two deputy chief ministers — Tarkishore Prasad from the Vaishya community (an OBC) and Renu Devi from MBC.

At NDA's swearing-in ceremony, Sushil Modi looked dejected

A 14-member council of ministers headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was administered the oath of office at the Raj Bhavan here by Governor Phagu Chauhan. Sushil Modi, who has been Nitish Kumar's deputy in all the NDA government he has led in Bihar, was not among the 14.

Tejashwi wishes Nitish Kumar on being nominated Bihar CM

With Kumar taking over as the chief minister on Monday, Tejashwi again questioned his election and suggested the JD(U) chief has been nominated rather than being elected as the chief minister.

NDA family will work together for progress of Bihar: Narendra Modi

"Congratulations to Nitish Kumar Ji on taking oath as Bihar's CM. I also congratulate all those who took oath as Ministers in the Bihar Government. The NDA family will work together for the progress of Bihar. I assure all possible support from the Centre for the welfare of Bihar," he said.

'Hope you remain NDA CM': Chirag's swipe in congratulating Nitish

Paswan, whose Lok Janshakti Party had walked out of the NDA in Bihar vowing to oust Nitish Kumar from power in the state, also congratulated the BJP on "making" him the chief minister.

Nitish will be BJP's puppet: RJD's Jagdanand Singh

RJD party leader Jagdanand Singh said that Nitish Kumar who "calls himself a socialist" has made fun of the people's mandate by cheating them.

Nitish Kumar: Masterful craftsman of realpolitick who believes politics is the art of possible

Nitish Kumar's unusual knack for spotting friends has got him where it has despite the drastic slump in the electoral fortune of his party that won just 43 seats, down from 71 it had in 2015, and 31 less than ally BJP which clinched 74.

Nitish Kumar returns as Bihar CM for seventh time in 20 years

Opposition parties Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress skipped the swearing-in ceremony as they claimed that the “mandate for change was against the NDA”.

RJD to boycott Nitish Kumar's swearing-in ceremony as Bihar CM

The RJD said it was boycotting the event as it believes that the mandate of the people was against the NDA.

People no longer see Congress as 'effective alternative': Kapil Sibal hits out at top brass

Kapil Sibal, one of the 23 senior Congress leaders who wrote the letter to Sonia Gandhi earlier this year asking for changes in the party organisation, also said in an interview that the time for "introspection" of its poor showing in election after election was over.

Bihar: BJP's Renu Devi, Tarkishore Prasad likely to be sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers

"This is a big step in the field of women's power. This is a big responsibility and we will all work with our leadership for the betterment of Bihar and for the development of the people of the state," Tarkishore Prasad added.

Bihar: Amit Shah, JP Nadda to attend oath-taking ceremony of Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar will take oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the fourth straight term this afternoon after closely-fought legislative assembly elections in the state.

Rahul Gandhi’s priority was picnic with Priyanka, not Bihar elections: RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari

Accusing Congress of not giving adequate time for electioneering, Tiwari said: “They had fielded candidates in 70 constituencies. But they (Congress leaders) did not hold even 70 election meetings. This again shows how serious they were about the Bihar polls.”

Nitish Kumar to take oath as Bihar Chief Minister today

Nitish Kumar, after meeting Governor Phagu Chauhan to stake claim to form NDA government in Bihar, had on Sunday announced that the oath-taking, as well as the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet, will be held at around 4.30 pm on Monday.

National priorities likely to guide BJP's ties with JD(U)

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s good chemistry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also play a big role in BJP giving more space to JDU in the state, although BJP may have increased say in government considering its numerical strength despite Kumar continuing as the chief minister.

Will work in whatever role party bestows upon me, says Renu Devi

Earlier today, Modi, congratulated Bettiah MLA on being elected as deputy leader of the BJP legislature party on Twitter.

Exit of NDA allies Akali Dal and Shiv Sena will likely make the BJP toe a soft line with the JDU

Despite a relatively poor show by the JDU, Kumar remains the face of the Most Backward Classes and Mahadalits, which BJP will have to factor in while planning its moves in Bihar.

BJP's surprise selection in Bihar: Tarikishore Prasad, Renu Devi could be DY CMs

The meeting was attended by senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the party's state in-charge Bhupendra Yadav, election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis, Union minister Nityanand Rai and state party chief Sanjay Jaiswal, among others.

Nobody can take away my post as worker: Sushil Modi amid speculation over Deputy CM

Sushil Modi has been the deputy chief minister of Bihar since 2005, barring a 20-month break when Nitish Kumar formed a government in alliance with the RJD in 2015, and is known to share an excellent rapport with the chief minister.

As its fate hangs in balance, LJP claims it proved its worth in Bihar

​​ The LJP was instrumental in the defeat of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U)in at least 36 seats which is evident from its vote share, and the BJP would also have been hit hard if the regional party had gone all out against it in a similar manner, the sources claimed.

Nitish meets Bihar Governor, stakes claim for forming new government

"After the swearing-in, we will convene the meeting of the cabinet where a decision on convening the assembly session will be taken", said Kumar but evaded queries as to whether the BJP, which has won more seats than the Chief Ministers JD(U), has sought a greater representation in the cabinet.

COVID-19: Nearly 160 tonnes of biomedical waste generated during Bihar polls

To ensure safety of voters, polling staff and security personnel in the first-ever polls held amid the pandemic, the Election Commission had procured 18 lakh face shields, 70 lakh face masks, 5.4 lakh single use rubber gloves for polling and security personnel and 7.21 crore 'one hand' single use polythene gloves for voters to press the EVM button and sign the register at the polling stations.

Nitish Kumar set to take oath as Bihar CM; suspense over his deputy continues

After meeting governor Phagu Chauhan, Nitish Kumar staked claim for the formation of the new government in Bihar. The swearing-in ceremony will take place in the afternoon.

NDA meeting underway in presence of Rajnath, Nitish to be declared leader and return as CM

A meeting of the BJP legislature party, which was to precede the one where all constituents of the coalition will declare Kumar as their leader, was deferred as it was to begin at 10 A.M. in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who has been sent as an observer.

Delay in finalising seat sharing hurt Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, says Congress' Tariq Anwar

Anwar, party's general secretary and a veteran leader from Bihar, acknowledged that there were shortcomings due to which the Congress performed worse than other 'Mahagathbandhan' constituents and asserted that the high command was serious about an introspection as well as a thorough analysis of the results.

NDA to hold meeting in Patna over Bihar election results

Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar is expected to be elected as the leader at today's meeting.

Fresh young faces likely to get cabinet berth in NDA-led government in Bihar

After the NDA returned to power in Bihar, it is certain that JD-U's Nitish Kumar will once again become the Chief Minister of Bihar for the fourth term, while many new young faces are also expected to get cabinet berth this time.

View: This election revealed Tejashwi Yadav as a rising star of Bihar politics

The 31 year old Tejashwi’s transformative performance poses a potent future threat to Modi and the BJP. He came out of the shadow of his father, proved a charismatic crowd puller, and demonstrated unsuspected skills in cultivating coalitions. Articulate on the stump, he showed finely tuned political instincts in erasing Lalu from campaign hoardings and not targeting Modi and the BJP.

Bihar council polls: JD(U), BJP, CPI win 2 seats each; Cong, Independent bag 1

Counting of votes for the graduate constituencies of Patna, Koshi, Darbhanga and Tirhut, and the teacher constituencies of Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Saran, which began on Thursday, concluded late on Friday.

Central schemes helped BJP notch up numbers in Bihar elections

The Centre’s Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyan (GKRA) – a bouquet of schemes targeted towards providing job opportunities across 116 districts to migrant labourers in their villages – saw maximum expenditure in Bihar.