Samrat sworn in as Bihar CM; Cabinet rejig after May 4 poll results
Choudhary retains Home portfolio; State will scale new heights of success: PM
Samrat Choudhary on Wednesday took over as the first BJP chief minister with two deputies from JD(U) — Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Choudhary. A Cabinet expansion is likely to take place after results are announced for West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly elections on May 4.
Samrat succeeded longest-serving Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who is now a Rajya Sabha MP.
According to the Cabinet Secretariat Department notification, CM Choudhary has retained the Home portfolio, while other crucial departments like health, agriculture, industry and vigilance will be distributed among his Cabinet colleagues after expansion. As Deputy CM, Choudhary was in charge of the state home ministry.
Soon after he took oath as CM, Choudhary said, “I have started doing my job from today itself. Bihar will have only (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar model of governance.”
The oath-taking ceremony at Bihar Lok Bhavan was a low-key affair despite the importance of the occasion, especially as the BJP got its own chief minister — 44 years after the Bharatiya Jan Sangh (former form of the BJP) made its debut in 1962 elections and secured three seats. Neither PM Modi nor Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended, though BJP president Nitin Nabin, Union Health Minister J P Nadda and national general secretary B L Santhosh were present.
In a post on X, PM Modi congratulated Choudhary and said, “His energy, dedication to public service and grassroots experience are going to be very helpful. I have full faith that Bihar will scale new heights of all-round success.” CM Choudhary responded, saying, “Under your illustrious leadership, we will work with complete dedication to realise the goal of a developed Bihar, driven by inclusive growth, good governance and public welfare.”
Outgoing chief minister Nitish Kumar was present at Choudhary’s swearing-in ceremony, as were LJP (RV) chief and Union Minister Chirag Paswan, RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha and HAM (S) patron and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav skipped the event.
Choudhary, who represents Tarapur in Munger, became the 24th Bihar CM and the second from the OBC Kushwaha community after the five-day stint of Satish Prasad Singh in 1968.
Nitish Kumar wrote: “I am confident that under your leadership, Bihar will develop even more rapidly and join the ranks of the country’s most developed states.”
JD(U) sources, however, said Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar was ready to take over as Deputy CM but had to back out at the last moment. While he aspired for a one deputy CM post and a more unified command, party seniors insisted on having two. Nishant is likely to embark on a Bihar yatra soon to focus on organisational work.
BJP sources also hinted at some disquiet over Samrat Choudhary’s elevation, as he “does not come from an ABVP/RSS background”. The party is learnt to have conceded to JD(U)’s push for his appointment. The state unit also avoided grand celebrations, suggesting unease over the choice.
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Samrat Choudhary on Wednesday took over as the first BJP chief minister with two deputies from JD(U) — Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Choudhary. A Cabinet expansion is likely to take place after results are announced for West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly elections on May 4.
Samrat succeeded longest-serving Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who is now a Rajya Sabha MP.
According to the Cabinet Secretariat Department notification, CM Choudhary has retained the Home portfolio, while other crucial departments like health, agriculture, industry and vigilance will be distributed among his Cabinet colleagues after expansion. As Deputy CM, Choudhary was in charge of the state home ministry.
Soon after he took oath as CM, Choudhary said, “I have started doing my job from today itself. Bihar will have only (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar model of governance.”
The oath-taking ceremony at Bihar Lok Bhavan was a low-key affair despite the importance of the occasion, especially as the BJP got its own chief minister — 44 years after the Bharatiya Jan Sangh (former form of the BJP) made its debut in 1962 elections and secured three seats. Neither PM Modi nor Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended, though BJP president Nitin Nabin, Union Health Minister J P Nadda and national general secretary B L Santhosh were present.
In a post on X, PM Modi congratulated Choudhary and said, “His energy, dedication to public service and grassroots experience are going to be very helpful. I have full faith that Bihar will scale new heights of all-round success.” CM Choudhary responded, saying, “Under your illustrious leadership, we will work with complete dedication to realise the goal of a developed Bihar, driven by inclusive growth, good governance and public welfare.”
Outgoing chief minister Nitish Kumar was present at Choudhary’s swearing-in ceremony, as were LJP (RV) chief and Union Minister Chirag Paswan, RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha and HAM (S) patron and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav skipped the event.
Choudhary, who represents Tarapur in Munger, became the 24th Bihar CM and the second from the OBC Kushwaha community after the five-day stint of Satish Prasad Singh in 1968.
Nitish Kumar wrote: “I am confident that under your leadership, Bihar will develop even more rapidly and join the ranks of the country’s most developed states.”
JD(U) sources, however, said Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar was ready to take over as Deputy CM but had to back out at the last moment. While he aspired for a one deputy CM post and a more unified command, party seniors insisted on having two. Nishant is likely to embark on a Bihar yatra soon to focus on organisational work.
BJP sources also hinted at some disquiet over Samrat Choudhary’s elevation, as he “does not come from an ABVP/RSS background”. The party is learnt to have conceded to JD(U)’s push for his appointment. The state unit also avoided grand celebrations, suggesting unease over the choice.
