Patna/New Delhi: Bihar's new government is likely to be formed on November 19-20, with the process gaining momentum following the issuance of the notification to constitute the 18th Bihar Assembly.

The Election Commission will brief Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on the final results, after which the Model Code of Conduct will automatically come to an end. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called a Cabinet meeting on Monday, where the dissolution of the outgoing 17th Assembly is expected to be approved.

Once the resolution is passed, Nitish Kumar will submit his resignation to Governor Khan, clearing the way for the next phaseof government formation. The BJP and the JD(U) contested an equal number of seats in the Bihar Assembly elections (101 each) and an initial proposal on government formation floated in the NDA ahead of talks on the matter suggests an equal number of ministerial berths for the two biggest members of the ruling allance. According to this formula, the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) may be offered two ministerial positions and the Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) may be given one department each.

“This is the formula on the table and consultations are going on. There could be major changes in the portfolio distribution and the discussions are focusing on that too,” said a source.

The newly elected JD(U) MLAs will meet in Patna on Monday, after which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is expected to meet the Governor and submit his resignation, paving the way for the formation of the new government. The BJP Legislature Party is likely to meet on Tuesday, according to sources. The BJP is the single-largest party with 89 seats, followed by the JD(U) at 85, the LJP (RV) at 19, the HAM(S) at five, and the RLM at four. In 2020, the BJP was the largest party in the NDA with 74 seats, followed by the JD(U) at 43. In the outgoing government, the BJP had 22 ministers while the Nitish Kumar-led party had only 12.