Veteran politician Nitish Kumar has once again taken the oath of office, beginning a record 10th consecutive term as the Chief Minister of Bihar. The grand swearing-in ceremony in Patna marked the formal induction of a new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, following a decisive victory in the recent Assembly polls. The new administration, a coalition including the Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with other smaller allies, has immediately set about allocating responsibilities and balancing political power.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J P Nadda and a host of other NDA alliance leaders were present during the swearing in ceremony.
The new cabinet features 26 ministers alongside the chief minister, with the BJP notably gaining greater prominence in the key departments. This shift was underscored by Nitish Kumar's decision to relinquish the vital home portfolio and allocate it to deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary of the BJP. Vijay Kumar Sinha, the other deputy chief minister, was also given substantial charge, including the mines and geology portfolio. Other major assignments included Mangal Pandey taking on both health and law, and Dilip Jaiswal being appointed as industry minister. Whilst the cabinet has achieved a considerable balance of caste and community representation, the representation of women remains low. Only three female ministers were sworn in: Leshi Singh JD(U)), Rama Nishad (BJP), and Shreyasi Singh (BJP). Leshi Singh continues her tenure, handling the food and consumer protection department. Meanwhile, Rama Nishad was appointed the minister for backward and extremely backward class welfare, and the internationally acclaimed shooter Shreyasi Singh was handed the portfolio for information technology and sports, signalling the government’s focus on youth-centric areas.
Internal dissent and party discipline
On the political opposition's side, the aftermath of the election has been characterised by severe internal turmoil, particularly within the Congress party. The state unit of the Congress recently took stern disciplinary measure, expelling seven of its leaders for a period of six years due to documented anti-party activities. This move highlights the deep-seated factionalism and struggles facing the opposition as it attempts to regroup and hold the new government accountable following their electoral defeat. The expulsions underscore the challenge of maintaining party unity in a state where coalition politics and swift political realignments are common.
Prashant Kishor's view
Amidst the formation of the new government, political strategist Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj campaign, offered a pointed critique of the political landscape. Prashant, who failed to translate his public outreach into a major electoral force, acknowledged the NDA’s performance but maintained a cynical outlook on the state’s developmental trajectory. He had previously made a bold, albeit inaccurate, prediction that Nitish Kumar would not return as chief minister and that his party would win fewer than 25 seats, while the JD(U) secured 85. Despite the setback to his electoral prediction, Kishor has restated his commitment to focusing on core developmental issues, such as employment and education, rather than the state's traditional reliance on caste arithmetic.