Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned a simple traditional gesture into a electrifying moment when he raised a red-and-white Bihari gamchha high above his head and waved it energetically towards thousands gathered at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Thursday, November 20, during Nitish Kumar’s swearing-in ceremony as Bihar Chief Minister for a record tenth term.
The iconic moment began when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar personally draped the gamchha around PM Modi’s shoulders immediately after taking oath. Modi adjusted the traditional cotton towel, flashed a broad smile, and then dramatically lifted it overhead, triggering thunderous cheers from the massive crowd and instantly dominating television screens and social media across the country.
Alongside Nitish Kumar, BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan. The ceremony was attended by top NDA leadership, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Ministers, several chief ministers, and senior party functionaries, underscoring the political significance of the Mahagathbandhan’s continued dominance in Bihar.
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A 28-member council of ministers, representing the JD(U), BJP, and alliance partners, also took oath, completing the formation of the new NDA government within 24 hours of Nitish Kumar being unanimously re-elected leader of both the JD(U) Legislature Party and the broader NDA Legislature Party in Bihar.
The gamchha gesture, widely interpreted as a mark of respect for Bihari culture and gratitude towards the state’s electorate, quickly went viral, with millions viewing clips of the Prime Minister’s enthusiastic wave. The moment reinforced Modi’s reputation for connecting with regional sentiments and once again shifted public attention from the formal proceedings to his spontaneous yet deeply symbolic interaction with the people of Bihar.
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