Bihar CM Nitish Kumar expands Cabinet; 12 BJP and nine JD(U) Ministers sworn in
The Hindu
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expands Cabinet with JD(U) and BJP Ministers ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
A day before the Lok Sabha election date is to be announced, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on March 15 expanded his Cabinet, inducting nine Ministers from his party JD(U) and 12 from the ruling ally BJP. Earlier, along with Mr. Kumar and two Deputy Chief Ministers from the BJP quota, six other Ministers were in the Cabinet, which can have a maximum of 36 Ministers in the 243-member Assembly.
The Cabinet expansion comes 46 days after the new NDA government was formed in the State on January 28, 2024 after Mr. Kumar severed ties with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and rejoined hands with the BJP. It was Mr. Kumar’s fifth political volte-face in a decade to remain in power. All new Ministers vouched after the oath-taking ceremony that the NDA would win all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the coming general elections. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the NDA had won 39 out of 40 seats in the State. The Congress had won the lone Kishanganj seat.
In the Cabinet expansion, almost all JD(U) leaders who were earlier Ministers in the mahagathbandhan government have been repeated, while the BJP has brought in some new faces like Kedar Gupta (Kurhani, Muzaffarpur), Surendra Mehta (Bachhwara, Begusarai), and Santosh Kumar Singh (Kaimur). Both the parties have given preference to the legislators coming from the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) section of the society. The recent caste survey has revealed that the EBC population is over 36% in Bihar.
Some women party legislators like Renu Devi (BJP), Lesi Singh (JD-U), Sheela Kumari Mandal too have been repeated in the Cabinet expansion. In the previous NDA government, Ms. Devi was the Deputy Chief Minister along with the party’s Tarkishore Prasad. Mr. Prasad did not get place in the new Cabinet. However, party sources said, he might contest the coming Lok Sabha poll.
The BJP leaders and legislators chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘abki baar 400 ke par’ (this time to cross 400 seats) whenever a BJP Minister was taking oath, while the JD (U) leaders and legislators shouted Nitish Kumar zindabad.
Before the oath-taking ceremony, the Cabinet meeting was held, which passed 108 agendas.
Chennai Metro Rail's TBM Kalvarayan to breakthrough at Perambur in January, connecting Ayanavaram in Phase II project.
Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Agro Food Trade Centre sign MoU to address farmers' challenges, introduce eSHED platform.
Jharkhand Assembly election results show BJP's "Bangladeshi infiltration" rhetoric failed, with NDA losing ST seats and INDIA bloc gaining.
JMM-led alliance retains Jharkhand Assembly with highest vote share, defeating BJP in a humiliating defeat.
Greater Chennai Corporation celebrates World Heritage Week with guided heritage walk at Ripon Buildings, educating residents on city's history.
MVA critiques BJP-led Mahayuti alliance after unexpected Maharashtra Assembly election results, questioning voter support and electoral integrity.
Mahayuti sweeps Maharashtra Assembly election with BJP as largest party, MVA routed, no Leader of Opposition expected.
Speakers honor S.S. Badrinath's legacy in ophthalmology, emphasizing his commitment to affordable eye care and training doctors nationwide.
Capt. Brijesh Chowta, Dakshina Kannada MP, on Saturday urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to facilitate speeding up of ongoing critical infrastructure works in the region, including Mangaluru-Bengaluru NH 75 widening, establishment of Indian Coast Guard Academy, and merger of Konkan Railway Corporation with the Indian Railways.
Prime Minister Modi celebrates BJP's victories in Maharashtra and bypolls, emphasizing unity and development over divisive politics.
Udhayanidhi Stalin urges cadres to launch campaign for securing 200 seats in 2026 Assembly elections
Udhayanidhi Stalin urges DMK members to gear up for 2026 Tamil Nadu elections, aiming for 200 seats.