Patna: As Nitish Kumar took oath for the 10th time as Chief Minister of Bihar on Thursday, the composition of his new cabinet made one thing unmistakably clear — the power equation in the state has shifted. For the first time since 2005, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), long the junior partner, has emerged as the senior force in the coalition government.
With 89 MLAs, the BJP is now the single largest party, overtaking the JD(U), which has 85 legislators. Though nine ministerial berths remain vacant and are likely to be filled after Makar Sankranti, the cabinet sworn in on Thursday has already revealed the new political balance.
BJP Outnumbers JD(U) in Cabinet Strength
Despite last-minute tussles over the post of Speaker, the BJP appears to have secured its claim. The party not only retained both Deputy Chief Ministers — Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha — but also dominated the cabinet expansion.
Out of the ministers sworn in on Thursday:
- BJP secured 14 berths
- JD(U) secured only 8
- LJP (Ram Vilas) got 2
- HAM (S) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha received 1 each
This marks a significant shift in the political hierarchy of the NDA in Bihar.
More Seats Still Open for BJP and JD(U)
If the widely discussed formula of one minister for every six MLAs is implemented, the BJP may get two more berths, while the JD(U) could gain six additional seats. LJP (Ram Vilas) may also get one more spot under the maximum cap of 36 ministers.
BJP’s list of ministers includes prominent names such as state party chief Dilip Jaiswal, Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, along with Mangal Pandey, Nitin Nabin, Ram Kripal Yadav, Sanjay Singh ‘Tiger’, Arun Shankar Prasad, Surendra Mehta, Narayan Prasad, Rama Nishad, Lakhendra Paswan, Shreyasi Singh, and Pramod Kumar Chandravanshi.
NBT’s Exclusive Prediction Proved Accurate
As reported earlier by NBT Online, first-time MLA Sanjay Kumar Singh, who defeated Tej Pratap Yadav in Mahua, was indeed inducted as a minister. Discussions regarding a significant portfolio for him — expected to be from the BJP quota — were also confirmed.
Strategic Social Engineering: BJP Sends Strong Messages
One of the most notable inclusions is former Union Minister Ram Kripal Yadav, a first-time MLA, signaling BJP’s outreach to the Yadav community, traditionally seen as RJD’s strong vote base.
Similarly, BJP retained Nitin Nabin, the lone Kayastha face in the cabinet, recognized for his loyalty and administrative performance.
Surprisingly, former Industries Minister Nitish Mishra, credited with boosting Bihar’s investment climate, did not make it to the list despite expectations that the new government would prioritize rapid industrialization.
Upendra Kushwaha’s Son Gets Preference
The Rashtriya Lok Morcha’s choice of Deepak Prakash, son of RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha, raised eyebrows. Instead of fielding his MLA-wife Snehlata Kushwaha, elected from Sasaram, Kushwaha opted to send his son to the cabinet. Since Deepak is not a member of the state legislature, he must secure an MLC seat within six months.
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