Exchange of pleasantries between Tejashwi and BJP leaders marks first day of Bihar session

The first session of the 18th Bihar Legislative Assembly began on Monday with the swearing-in of the newly-elected MLAs. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary was the first to take the oath, followed by Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha. Subsequently, ministers were sworn in according to seniority.

Protem Speaker Narendra Narayan Yadav administered the oath to all the MLAs. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was present in the House during the ceremony.

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The proceedings were adjourned after the swearing-in until Tuesday, when the new Speaker of the Assembly will be elected.

The composition of the 18th Assembly has undergone a significant shift. About 85 per cent of the seats are held by NDA legislators, while the Opposition, with all its members, is seated together in a single block. This change has given the Assembly’s dynamics a completely new direction.

The atmosphere in the House was lively, with leaders who had fiercely campaigned against each other now exchanging greetings on the floor.

Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav set the tone for the day. When Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary took his oath, the RJD leader stood up to show respect and shook his hand. Later, he embraced Deputy CM Vijay Sinha and Agriculture Minister Ram Kripal Yadav.

JDU Minister Zama Khan also greeted RJD MLA Osama Shahab. When journalists asked about the gesture, Khan said, “All members of the Assembly are brothers. When needed, we fight, and when the time comes, we sit together for development.”

BJP leader Nitin Nabin said, “We need constructive cooperation from the Opposition. The public has given a clear message, and now all of us must work together for the development of Bihar.”

Linguistic and cultural diversity was on full display during the oath-taking ceremony. While most MLAs took the oath in Hindi, former Deputy CM and Katihar MLA Tarkishore Prasad took his oath in Sanskrit.

Several members from Mithilanchal took their oaths in Maithili. Abidur Rahman, Kamrul Hoda, Sarbar Alam, Akhtarul Iman, and Murshid Alam took their oaths in Urdu. Vishnu Deo Paswan and Rahul Kumar Singh took oaths in English.

Osama Shahab, son of former RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin, entered the House for the first time. He won the election from Raghunathpur on an RJD ticket. His victory was notable as BJP leaders had frequently targeted him during the campaign, projecting him as a symbol of “Jungle Raj.”

Another first-time MLA sworn in on Monday was popular folk singer and Bihar’s youngest legislator, Maithili Thakur. The Alinagar MLA took her oath wearing a yellow sari and a ‘paag’ (traditional headgear). She said, “Today is a very big day for me, a new life has begun.”

On the first day, a total of six MLAs from the BJP and JDU were absent. BJP MLAs Jivesh Mishra from Jale and Vinay Bihari from Lauriya could not take the oath due to health reasons and have scheduled their swearing-in for Tuesday.

Mokama strongman and newly-elected JDU MLA Anant Singh could not take the oath as he is currently lodged in Beur Jail. He may be released on parole to take the oath on Tuesday. This is the second time Anant Singh has won an Assembly election while in jail. Earlier, in 2020, he had also come out on parole to take his oath in the Assembly.