Patna, 15 April (H.S.): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislature party's new leader, Samrat Choudhary, is set to take the helm of Bihar's governance today.

Bihar's former Deputy Chief Minister, Choudhary, will be sworn in as the BJP's inaugural and the state's 24th Chief Minister at 10:50 a.m. at Raj Bhavan.

As the successor to former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Samrat Choudhary submitted a written claim to form the government to Governor Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain yesterday evening, following his election first as BJP legislature party leader and subsequently as NDA legislature party leader.

Accompanying him were Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Janata Dal (United) executive president Sanjay Kumar Jha, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Jitan Ram Manjhi, former minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, BJP state president Sanjay Sarawgi, RLSP president Upendra Kushwaha, and LJP (Ra) MP Arun Bharti.BJP national president Nitin Nabin will also attend the swearing-in ceremony.

The power transition process in the state commenced yesterday morning at 11 a.m., with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar chairing his cabinet's final meeting.Thereafter, he returned to his official residence, proceeded to Raj Bhavan at 3:15 p.m. to tender his resignation to the Governor, and returned directly to his residence.

Joining him at Raj Bhavan were Samrat Choudhary, former parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, JD(U) national executive president Sanjay Kumar Jha, and Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh.

BJP president Nitin Nabin, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Bihar BJP in-charge Vinod Tavde arrived in Patna from New Delhi by special flight.

BJP national organization general secretary B.L. Santosh had already reached by 9:30 a.m.

Shivraj Chouhan briefly stayed at the state guest house before heading to the BJP office.

A legislature party meeting convened at the BJP office at 2:30 p.m., where, on central observer Shivraj Singh Chouhan's directions, former Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha proposed Samrat Choudhary's name for the leadership position.

Former minister Mangal Pandey, Dr. Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, former Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi, and MLA Raghavendra Pratap Singh endorsed the proposal.

Subsequently, Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced Samrat Choudhary's election as the BJP legislature party leader.

The joint NDA legislature party meeting took place in the central hall of the assembly, where Nitish Kumar formally declared Samrat Choudhary as the NDA legislature party leader.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar