The NDA had announced Nitish Kumar as its chief ministerial candidate before election (File)
The National Democratic Alliance partners will meet on Sunday to decide who will be the next Chief Minister of Bihar, Janata Dal United leader Nitish Kumar said on Friday.
"The legislature party meeting will happen on Sunday, November 15 at 12.30 PM. Things will be discussed in detail and all decisions will be taken at that time. What is decided will be informed to you all after that meeting," Mr Kumar told reporters.
Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal has also called a meeting of the party's legislators hours before the alliance meet.
In the recently concluded Bihar election, Nitish Kumar's JDU managed to win only 43 seats, conceding the senior partner status in favour of the BJP, which won 74. The NDA combined won 125 seats, which is three more than the majority mark in the 243-strong Bihar assembly.
The RJD, led by 31-year-old Tejashwi Yadav, emerged as the single-largest party with 75 seats. The opposition alliance won 110 seats.
On Thursday, Mr Kumar said that decision on who will be the next Chief Minister will be taken by the alliance, indicating the matter is still being discussed despite assurances from BJP that he would retain the post.
The NDA had announced Nitish Kumar as its chief ministerial candidate before the assembly election. However, critics say, the BJP tacitly supported ally-turned-rival Chirag Paswan - who fielded candidates against Mr Kumar's party but spared the BJP - to undermine his influence within the alliance.
Mr Paswan's party could win only one seat in the election, but with over 5 percent votes, hurt Mr Kumar's JDU badly.
The BJP, which has been denying the charge, says the election was fought with Mr Kumar as the alliance's chief ministerial face and he will retain his post.
On Thursday, Tejashwi Yadav took a swipe at Mr Kumar, saying his party RJD was the winner of the election as the Chief Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi couldn't stop it from becoming the single-largest party.
"See where Nitish Kumar's glow has gone. He has been pushed to third position. This is a mandate for change. Nitish Kumar is sitting in the Chief Minister's chair but we are in people's hearts," he said.