In a significant administrative reshuffle, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has transferred the crucial Home Ministry portfolio to his deputy, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Samrat Choudhary, as the new National Democratic Alliance government announced its cabinet assignments on Friday.
Major Portfolio Changes in Bihar Cabinet
The portfolio distribution marks a strategic move within the NDA coalition government, with Samrat Choudhary retaining his position as Deputy Chief Minister while taking charge of the Home Department that was previously under Nitish Kumar's direct supervision. This transfer represents one of the most significant changes in the new cabinet structure.
The portfolio announcements follow the NDA's spectacular performance in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, where the alliance secured a commanding 202 out of 243 seats, leaving the Mahagathbandhan with only 35 seats. This victory marks the second time the NDA has crossed the 200-seat threshold in state polls, having previously won 206 seats in 2010.
Complete Cabinet Portfolio Distribution
The newly sworn-in government has allocated key departments among its 25 ministers, with Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha receiving the Land and Revenue Department along with Mines and Geology. Other significant appointments include Mangal Pandey overseeing both Health and Law Departments, while Dilip Jaiswal has been named Industry Minister.
Other crucial portfolio assignments include:
- Nitin Nabin managing Road Construction Department along with Urban Development and Housing
- Ramkripal Yadav taking charge of Agriculture
- Sanjay Tiger heading Labour Resources
- Arun Shankar Prasad assigned to Tourism Department plus Art, Culture, and Youth Affairs
- Surendra Mehta handling Animal and Fisheries Resources
- Narayan Prasad leading Disaster Management
The cabinet also includes specialized welfare assignments with Rama Nishad overseeing Backward and Extremely Backward Class Welfare, while Lakhedar Paswan manages Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare. Shreyasi Singh will be responsible for Information Technology and Sports, and Pramod Chandravanshi has been assigned the Cooperation and Environment-Forest-Climate Change portfolios.
Historic Political Context
The portfolio announcements come just a day after Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister for a record 10th time. The swearing-in ceremony witnessed BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha taking oath as Deputy Chief Ministers in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent NDA leaders.
The NDA's massive mandate gives the ruling alliance a three-fourths majority in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, providing the government with substantial legislative strength to implement its agenda. This overwhelming victory demonstrates significant public support for the coalition in India's economically challenged state.
The portfolio distribution reflects careful balancing within the NDA coalition, ensuring representation across party lines while placing experienced administrators in critical departments. The transfer of the Home Ministry to Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary indicates the BJP's strengthened position within the alliance following the electoral triumph.
