Ahead of the formation of Bihar’s new NDA government, Gandhi Maidan in Patna has once again become the epicenter of political activity. Preparations for the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for November 20 intensified on Wednesday. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar conducted a detailed inspection of the venue on Tuesday evening, reviewing the stage, security arrangements, entry routes, and technical setups.
Officials have been instructed to complete all arrangements by Wednesday evening. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister Nitin Naveen, and other NDA leaders accompanied Nitish Kumar during the inspection.
The ceremony gains significant political weight with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to be present. Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP President J.P. Nadda, and several other Union ministers are also scheduled to attend.
Chief Ministers from 16 states across the country have been invited, including Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), Mohan Yadav (Madhya Pradesh), Bhajanlal Sharma (Rajasthan), Devendra Fadnavis (Maharashtra), Mohan Charan Manjhi (Odisha), Bhupendra Patel (Gujarat), Pramod Sawant (Goa), and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, among others.
To accommodate the large gathering, a massive German-hangar-style pandal is being erected at Gandhi Maidan, with an estimated capacity of around three lakh people. Approximately 30,000 chairs and 1,500 sofas are being installed. Special floral decorations for the main stage have been sourced from Karnataka, and professional teams have been deployed for sound and lighting arrangements.
Police, disaster management, and health department teams will be stationed throughout the venue and surrounding areas to manage the crowd. Medical units and ambulances will remain on standby.
The NDA views the event as a demonstration of political strength, with the BJP, JD(U), and other constituent parties coordinating closely. Minister Nitin Naveen stated that the Chief Minister has given clear instructions that “no compromise should be made in any arrangement of the program.” He confirmed that Nitish Kumar will take oath as Chief Minister, with the ceremony scheduled to begin shortly after 12 noon.
Given the presence of the Prime Minister and other VVIPs, security agencies are on high alert. Strict checks have been implemented at all entry points of Gandhi Maidan, and police patrolling has been intensified in surrounding areas. Administrative teams are conducting continuous inspections to ensure the program proceeds safely and smoothly.
