Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record tenth term, leading a 27-member cabinet in a ceremony held at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan. The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J. P. Nadda, and chief ministers from 11 NDA-ruled states, including Yogi Adityanath and N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The NDA’s commanding victory with 202 seats marks Nitish’s second-best performance since 2010, when the coalition secured 206 seats. Prime Minister Modi capped the ceremony by bowing thrice before the audience, acknowledging the mandate with his signature gamchha wave.
Top Leadership Retains Strong Hold
BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha continue as Deputy Chief Ministers. Veteran JD(U) leaders—Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Vijay Kumar Choudhary, and Shravan Kumar—also retained their ministerial positions. The BJP kept its senior ministers Mangal Pandey, Pramod Kumar, and Nitin Nabin, while state party chief Dilip Jaiswal returned to the cabinet.
Three Women Leaders Included
The cabinet features three women:
- Lesi Singh (JD(U)), already a minister in past terms
- Rama Nishad (BJP), representing the influential Mallah community
- Shreyasi Singh (BJP), former shooting champion and two-time MLA
The presence of Nishad and Shreyasi signals the NDA’s continued social outreach to EBCs and politically influential families.
Dynastic Influence and New Entrants
The cabinet includes several political heirs:
- Deepak Prakash, son of RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha, has been appointed as a minister despite not being an MLA. He is expected to enter the Legislative Council within six months.
- Santosh Kumar Suman, son of Jitan Ram Manjhi, retains his position representing HAM(S).
- LJP(R) appointed Sanjay Kumar Singh and Sanjay Kumar as ministers.
A notable comeback is Ram Kripal Yadav, the veteran BJP leader and former Union Minister, who returned to prominence after defeating RJD’s Ritlal Yadav from Danapur.
Caste Balance at the Core of Cabinet Formation
The 27-member cabinet reflects deliberate social balancing:
- 8 Upper-caste ministers
- 5 Dalit ministers
- 14 OBC/EBC ministers
Among the new faces, the most significant are Shreyasi Singh, Deepak Prakash, Rama Nishad, Ram Kripal Yadav, and Surraj MLA Sanjay Singh Tiger.
Prominent absentees include Nitish Mishra, Jiwesh Mishra, and Sanjay Saraogi, who did not find a place in the new lineup.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
