NDA show of strength as new Bihar ministers take oath in Patna

A new Bihar Cabinet expansion under CM Samrat Choudhary was sworn in at Gandhi Maidan in the presence of top NDA leaders. Notably, Nishant Kumar and other political heirs, including sons of former Chief Ministers, were inducted, reflecting a blend of legacy and alliance balance

Patna: The first Cabinet expansion of Samrat Choudhary-led Bihar government took place on Thursday at the city’s sprawling Gandhi Maidan, with all the new Ministers taking oath in a high-profile ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

However, the spotlight of the event was induction of Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar as a Minister in Samrat Choudhary Cabinet, thereby putting an end of speculation of his assuming any role in the Bihar government. Nishant Kumar is not the only leader inheriting his father’s political legacy, rather two others, children of former Bihar Chief Ministers, took the oath of office and secrecy at the swearing-in ceremony.

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Santosh Kumar Suman and Nitish Mishra are the two sons of former Chief Ministers, who have been given a place in the Bihar Cabinet.

While Nishant Kumar’s induction in the Bihar Cabinet, barely days after joining the Janata Dal-United, marks a first for him, Santosh Kumar Suman — son of former Chief Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha Chief Jitan Ram Manjhi made a return to the Bihar government. He had previously served in the Nitish Kumar Cabinet.

Additionally, Nitish Mishra, the son of former Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra, was also given a Ministerial berth. He has previously served in the Bihar government, although he was not appointed to a Ministerial post in the previous administration.

Notably, the swearing-in ceremony held at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan symbolised a show of the strength of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA with top Union Ministers in attendance and also top-rung leadership of the alliance partners.

Nitish Kumar stepped down as the Chief Minister of Bihar after being elected to the Rajya Sabha last month. Following this, a BJP-led government was formed in Bihar for the first time, with Samrat Chaudhary taking the oath as the Chief Minister.

At first instance, Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary’s expansive Cabinet shows a deliberate effort to strike a balance between social and regional equations. The new Ministers are yet to be allocated respective portfolios.