The Bihar cabinet witnessed a major expansion on Saturday as 32 leaders took oath as ministers in the Samrat Choudhary-led government. The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Raj Bhavan in Patna, presided over by Governor Arif Mohammad Khan. This expansion comes months after the formation of the new government, aiming to fill key portfolios and strengthen the administration.
List of Ministers Who Took Oath
The newly inducted ministers include a mix of experienced leaders and fresh faces from various parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), and other allies. Here is the full list of 32 ministers:
BJP Ministers
- Nand Kishore Yadav – A senior leader from Patna, he has been given the charge of Road Construction and Rural Works.
- Vijay Kumar Sinha – The former Speaker will handle the Energy and Prohibition portfolios.
- Mangal Pandey – He will oversee Health and Family Welfare.
- Pramod Kumar – Assigned the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries departments.
- Jivesh Kumar – Will manage the Education and Information Technology departments.
JD(U) Ministers
- Biju Prasad – A close aide of CM Choudhary, he gets the Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs portfolios.
- Shravan Kumar – He will handle Agriculture and Sugarcane Industries.
- Ashok Choudhary – Given the charge of Building Construction and Minority Welfare.
- Rama Devi – She will oversee Social Welfare and Women Development.
- Sanjay Kumar Jha – Assigned the Labour Resources and Employment departments.
Other Allies and Independents
- Mukesh Kumar (LJP) – Will manage the Transport and Mines departments.
- Sumit Singh (Hindustani Awam Morcha) – Given the charge of Fisheries and Information.
- Ravindra Kumar (Independent) – Will handle the Art, Culture, and Youth Affairs portfolio.
Portfolio Allocation Highlights
The cabinet expansion aims to ensure balanced representation from all regions and communities. Key portfolios such as Home, Finance, and Rural Development remain with the Chief Minister. The new ministers are expected to focus on development projects, especially in infrastructure, health, and education.
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary stated that the new team will work tirelessly to fulfill the promises made to the people of Bihar. He emphasized that the government is committed to transparency and efficient governance.
The opposition criticized the expansion, calling it a move to appease allies ahead of the upcoming elections. However, the ruling coalition maintains that the new ministers bring diverse expertise to the cabinet.
