Samrat Choudhary Sworn In As Bihar Chief Minister, BJP Leads Govt In State For First Time

The BJP-led new Bihar government now sees Samrat Choudhary as the Chief Minister and Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary as his deputies.

Samrat Choudhary sworn in as Bihar’s Chief Minister (Video Screengrab/PTI)

BJP leader Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar on Wednesday, marking the first time the party has taken the lead in forming a government in the state.

The oath of office was administered at Lok Bhawan in the presence of senior leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the BJP, Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) and three other alliance partners.

Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary were also sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers as part of the new government formation.

Several chief ministers from NDA-ruled states were present at the ceremony, underlining the political significance of the transition in Bihar.

RANSITION FOLLOWS NITISH KUMAR’S EXIT

The swearing-in ceremony comes a day after Nitish Kumar, now a Rajya Sabha MP, relinquished the Chief Minister’s post on Tuesday and dissolved his Cabinet.

In the outgoing government, Choudhary served as Deputy Chief Minister and held the crucial home portfolio.

Kumar’s exit paved the way for the BJP to assume the top executive role in the state government, reflecting a shift in alliance dynamics within the NDA.

ELECTED BJP LEGISLATIVE PARTY LEADER

Choudhary, 57, who joined the BJP in 2017, was chosen as the party’s legislative leader on Tuesday in the presence of senior functionaries, including BJP chief Nitin Nabin and Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who had been appointed as the central observer by the party’s parliamentary board to oversee the leadership transition.

His elevation signals the BJP’s expanding political footprint in Bihar while maintaining coalition coordination within the NDA.

SECOND CM FROM KOERI COMMUNITY

In a state where caste considerations play a key role in politics, Choudhary becomes only the second leader from the influential Koeri community to occupy the Chief Minister’s post.

Satish Prasad Singh had served as Chief Minister in 1968 for a brief five-day tenure after his coalition government collapsed when the Congress withdrew support.

Choudhary also joins the company of Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur as one of the few leaders to have held both the deputy chief minister and chief minister positions in Bihar.

However, unlike Choudhary’s swift elevation, Thakur had to wait two years after becoming Deputy Chief Minister in 1967 before assuming the Chief Minister’s office in 1970, following an 11-month tenure in the deputy role.

Choudhary’s swearing-in marks a milestone for the BJP in Bihar, where regional parties have historically dominated leadership roles.

The development highlights changing political equations within the NDA and is expected to shape future political strategies in the state.

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