JD-U elects Nitish as Legislature Party leader

The Janata Dal-United on Saturday elected Chief Minister-designate Nitish Kumar as its Legislature Party leader.

The newly-elected legislators of JD-U met at the residence of Nitish Kumar and elected him as its Legislature Party leader, JD-U state President Basistha Narayan Singh told reporters.

JD-U president Sharad Yadav, general secretary K C Tyagi and state party chief Basistha Narayan Singh were present at the meeting.

Senior minister in the outgoing government Bijendra Prasad Yadav proposed the name of Nitish Kumar as Legislature Party Leader which other members approved immediately.    

The election of Nitish Kumar as JD-U Legislature Party leader paved the way for his appointment of Legislature party chief of the Grand Alliance comprising JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress.

The newly elected legislators of the three parties will meet later at 3 pm and formally elect Kumar as their leader.

Basistha Narayan Singh said that addressing party MLAs and MLCs, Kumar told them to understand the great responsibility the people had entrusted on them.

JD-U won 71 seats out of a total of 101 it had contested.

The JD-U Legislature Party meeting took place after Kumar met Governor Ram Nath Kovind and apprised him of the state cabinet meeting to dissolve the House to make way for 16th Legislative Assembly and a new government.