Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a traditional Bihari gamchha to thank the people of Bihar during Nitish Kumar’s swearing in ceremony at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on Thursday, November 20, turning a symbolic gesture into a striking moment at the event.
Nitish Kumar was sworn in for a record tenth time, reinforcing his position as one of India’s longest serving political leaders.
Modi’s Gamchha Moment at Swearing In
At the ceremony, Nitish Kumar draped a red and white gamchha around PM Modi’s shoulders at the start of the event. The Prime Minister adjusted it, smiled, and lifted the cloth high above his head, waving it vigorously to acknowledge the cheering crowd. PM Modi had thanked the people of Bihar by waving the gamchha. Other leaders stood beside him on stage as he greeted colleagues and dignitaries.
Nitish Kumar Takes Oath for 10th Time
Kumar, the JD(U) president, was sworn in alongside BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, who returned as deputy chief ministers. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan administered the oaths in the presence of senior BJP and NDA figures including PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 26 other ministers were also sworn in as part of the new cabinet.
A day earlier, CM Kumar had been unanimously elected as the leader of both the JD(U) Legislature Party and the NDA Legislature Party. Choudhary and Sinha were similarly chosen to lead the BJP Legislature Party during a meeting attended by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who served as the central observer.
