Bihar Cabinet Expansion: 32 Ministers Sworn in Under CM Samrat Choudhary

The cabinet expansion marks a significant moment in Bihar politics, following the NDA’s landslide victory in the state assembly elections, where the alliance secured 202 out of 243 seats.

Patna: In a major political reshuffle, 32 new ministers were inducted into the Bihar government led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. The swearing-in ceremony took place at Gandhi Maidan, Patna, on Thursday, in the presence of top NDA leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The cabinet expansion marks a significant moment in Bihar politics, following the NDA’s landslide victory in the state assembly elections, where the alliance secured 202 out of 243 seats.

Key Highlights of the Swearing-In Ceremony

New Ministers Inducted: Among the leaders taking oath were Shrawon Kumar, Vijay Kumar Sinha, Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, Nishant Kumar, Leshi Singh, Ram Kripal Yadav, Nitish Mishra, Damodar Rawat, Sanjay Singh alias Tiger, and Ashok Choudhary, along with several others from NDA parties.

Political Debut: Nishant Kumar, son of former CM Nitish Kumar, made his ministerial debut.

Coalition Balance: To maintain political equilibrium within the NDA, JD(U) veterans Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav were appointed as Deputy Chief Ministers.

Election Context and Political Shift

The NDA’s decisive mandate came months after the assembly elections:

BJP: 89 seats

• JD(U): 85 seats
• Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas): 19 seats
• Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular): 5 seats
• Rashtriya Lok Morcha: 4 seats

The opposition Mahagathbandhan was reduced to 35 seats:

• RJD: 25 seats
• Congress: 6 seats
• CPI(ML)(L): 2 seats
• AIMIM: 5 seats
• Others: CPI(M), Indian Inclusive Party, BSP - 1 seat each

Nitish Kumar’s Transition to Rajya Sabha

Former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who had been at the helm of Bihar politics for over two decades, resigned from the Bihar Legislative Council on March 30, paving the way for his shift to the Rajya Sabha.

Nitish Kumar had earlier taken oath for a record 10th term as Chief Minister on November 20, but the leadership baton has now passed to Samrat Choudhary, making him the first BJP Chief Minister of Bihar.

Samrat Choudhary’s Leadership and NDA Unity

Samrat Choudhary, after being sworn in as CM, won the trust vote comfortably in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, reaffirming the unity of the NDA alliance and formally completing the political transition in the state.

This expansion not only strengthens the BJP-led government but also reflects the careful coalition management between NDA partners as Bihar enters a new political era.