Listen To This Post
Patna: JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record 10th time on Thursday at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan, marking yet another milestone in his decades-long political journey. The grand oath-taking ceremony—attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, and chief ministers of multiple NDA-ruled states—signalled the formal return of the NDA government after its sweeping victory in the 2025 Assembly elections.
Senior BJP leader Samrat Choudhary, considered the party’s prominent OBC face, took oath as a minister moments after Kumar. Son of former minister Shakuni Choudhary, Samrat had previously served as deputy chief minister but entered the Assembly for the first time after winning from Tarapur. BJP leaders Dilip Jaiswal and Mangal Pandey were also administered the oath shortly thereafter.
Broad-Based Cabinet Formation Underway
Nitish Kumar had resigned on Wednesday before staking claim to form the new government after being unanimously elected as the NDA legislature party leader. The NDA—comprising the JD(U), BJP, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha—is working on a carefully calibrated formula for Cabinet expansion to ensure proportional representation to all partners.
According to sources, eight ministers each from the BJP and JD(U) are expected to take oath during the day. Additionally, the alliance is likely to allot one ministerial berth per six MLAs to its smaller partners. This means the RLM and HAM(S) may each secure one berth, while three ministerial positions are expected to go to Chirag Paswan’s LJP (Ram Vilas), reflecting its significant tally of 19 seats.
Among the JD(U) nominees likely to be inducted are Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Vijay Choudhary, Shrawan Kumar, Lesi Singh, Mohammad Zama Khan, Sunil Kumar, and Ashok Choudhary. On the BJP side, Samrat Choudhary, Vijay Kumar Sinha, and Renu Devi are among the names being considered for Cabinet roles.
Assembly Session from November 26; Cabinet Expansion Likely After Makar Sankranti
A three-day session of the newly constituted Bihar Assembly will commence on November 26, during which MLAs will take oath and elections for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be held. BJP veteran Prem Kumar is widely seen as the frontrunner for the Speaker’s post, sources indicated.
The Cabinet’s full-scale expansion is likely to take place after Makar Sankranti on January 14, allowing for broader consultations and distribution of portfolios aligned with NDA’s governance agenda.
Massive Gathering, Tight Security at Oath Ceremony
Top officials said elaborate security arrangements had been put in place across Patna, especially around Gandhi Maidan, where over three lakh people were expected to attend the ceremony. Barricading, drone surveillance, quick reaction teams, and multiple security layers ensured smooth conduct of the high-profile event.
NDA Returns to Power With Strong Mandate
The NDA stormed back to power with a ** commanding majority of 202 seats** in the 243-member Assembly. The BJP won 89 seats, the JD(U) 85, LJP (Ram Vilas) 19, HAM(S) 5, and the RLM 4, allowing the coalition to comfortably form the government and extend Nitish Kumar’s remarkable run as Bihar’s longest-serving leader.
