Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar's Chief Minister for the fourth consecutive term

Nitish Kumar was on Monday sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar for his fourth successive term.

Governor Phagu Chauhan administered the oath to Kumar at the ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

The National Democratic Alliance secured a majority in the October-November Assembly elections, winning 125 seats in the 243-member house. However, Nitish Kumar saw his Janata Dal-United's share slip to 43, while the BJP won 74 seats. Two smaller parties won eight seats.

After taking oath as the chief minister of Bihar here on Monday, Nitish Kumar said he is missing his trusted colleague Sushil Kumar Modi in the new cabinet.

Sushil Modi, who has been Deputy Chief Minister in Nitish Kumar's cabinets several times, hasn't been included in the cabinet this time.

"We have a combination of old and new faces in the cabinet and we will work towards a better future for Bihar," Kumar said.

Asked whether he was missing Sushil Kumar Modi this time, Kumar replied in the affirmative.

Kumar took the oath on Monday, along with Tar Kishore Prasad and Renu Devi (likely to be deputy chief ministers) and 12 other ministers. These include Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Mewa Lal Chaudhary, Ashok Chaudhary, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Sheela Kumari, Mangal Pandey, Amarendra Pratap Singh, Ram Preet Paswan, Jivesh Kumar, Ram Surat Kumar, Santosh Kumar Suman and Mukesh Sahani.

The new faces in Kumar's cabinet in 2020 are Jivesh Kumar, Ram Surat Kumar, Sheela Kumari, Santosh Kumar Suman and Mukesh Sahani.

Former Maharastra CM Devendra Fadnavis said: "For the BJP, it's a generational change to promote new faces in the party. BJP has internal democracy and it's reflect through such a decisions. BJP gives opportunity to every leader. With this, the eventual goal is to strengthen party."

He further said: "Sushil Kumar is an asset for the BJP. He served for party over 40 years and party will use his experience at right place."

The NDA has included two women ministers Renu Devi and Sheela Kumari in the cabinet. Women are considered as silent voters for NDA and it has been mentioned PM Narendra Modi himself.

"Nitish Kumar is like my elder brother. On the occasion of Bhai Dooj, I have got a great opportunity to work with him again. I will work in the interest of women as well as all other persons sitting in the last line. The eventual goal for me is to work on the lines of Aatmanirbhar Bihar," Renu Devi said.

Jivesh Kumar, a new face in the cabinet said: "The party has given me opportunity to serve as minister, I will work in the interest of Bihar."