Nitish Kumar Takes Oath As Bihar CM For 8th Time, Throws 2024 Challenge At PM Modi

New Delhi: Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar on Wednesday took oath as Bihar chief minister for the eighth time. The NDA government at the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to “worry” about its prospects in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he asserted.

“Those who came to power in 2014, will they be victorious in 2024? I would like all (opposition) to be united for 2024. I am not a contender for any such post (on PM post),” Nitish Kumar said.

RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav took oath as his deputy, at a ceremony in Raj Bhavan. Talking to reporters shortly after he was administered the oath of office by Governor Phagu Chauhan, Kumar also rubbished the BJP’s claim that the new government will not last its full term, and said his former ally “will be back where they were after the 2015 assembly polls”.

On his fate after yet another flip, Nitish Kumar said, “Whether I will stay or not… let people say what they have to say.” After staking claim yesterday, he said he “never allowed corruption”, and “we want brotherhood in society”. Standing next to him, Tejashwi Yadav accused the BJP of dividing people along communal lines: “We are socialists. All of us want that the BJP’s agenda shouldn’t be implemented in Bihar.”