Nitish set to resign; BJP to pick new Bihar chief minister today

New Delhi: Bihar is set for a transition of power on Tuesday, with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to step down after his final cabinet meeting. The move will pave the way for a BJP leader to take over as CM, while the JD(U) is likely to get a deputy CM post.

Kumar will chair his last cabinet meeting at 11 am before heading to Raj Bhavan to submit his resignation to Governor Syed Ata Hasnain.

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Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the BJP's central observer, will oversee the election of the legislative party leader. BJP MLAs will meet at 3 pm to choose their leader. Around the same time, JD(U) MLAs are expected to elect Nishant Kumar as their leader for the deputy CM post. A joint NDA legislators' meeting is scheduled at 4 pm, where the BJP leader will be formally chosen as the NDA legislature party leader. NDA MLAs have been asked to remain in Patna through the week. Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary has emerged as the frontrunner for the top post.