Patna: Nitish Kumar took the oath as Bihar’s Chief Minister for the tenth time on Thursday, marking a significant political moment after the NDA won a decisive 202 out of 243 seats in the 2025 assembly elections. The oath-taking ceremony, held at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, was grandly attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers, and chief ministers from various states. In total, 27 ministers, including Kumar, took their oaths. Although the cabinet can hold 36 members, nine positions remain open for potential political changes. All eight ministers from the JDU quota were retained from the previous administration, allowing the BJP and its allies to introduce new faces.
The BJP filled its 14 cabinet positions with a blend of continuity and fresh talent—seven experienced ministers returned, while seven newcomers were sworn in. The new ministers include Sanjay Tiger, Lakheendra Roshan, Shreyasi Singh, Pramod Chandraavanshi, Rama Nishad, Ramkripal Yadav, and Arun Shankar Prasad. Sanjay Tiger, a first-time MLA from Ara, won against CPI-ML’s Kayamuddin Ansari by over 19,000 votes and is known for his eloquence, having earned his nickname during his time as a BJP spokesperson. Ramkripal Yadav, who has shifted from being a close aide to Lalu Prasad Yadav to a BJP minister, won from Danapur by defeating RJD candidate Reetlal Yadav.
Shreyasi Singh, an international shooter and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, won her second legislative victory from Jamui, surpassing the RJD candidate by more than 54,000 votes. Lakheendra Kumar Roshan, a Dalit leader known for his assertive presence in the assembly, returns as MLA from Patepur and has been recognized by the BJP for his dynamic contributions. Rama Nishad, representing the influential Nishad community, achieved a remarkable victory in Aurai, defeating the VIP candidate by over 57,000 votes, and becomes her constituency’s first female MLA. Arun Shankar Prasad, a seasoned three-time MLA from Khajauli, continued his long-standing involvement in BJP’s organizational efforts, winning against RJD’s Brij Kishor Yadav.
Pramod Chandraavanshi, who previously left JDU and joined BJP, was appointed MLC and has now been included in the cabinet to bolster ties with the Extremely Backward Classes. Additionally, two new ministers from LJP (Ram Vilas), Sanjay Kumar and Sanjay Singh, both first-timers, have secured cabinet roles, with Singh notably defeating Tej Pratap Yadav in Mahua, overturning his previous loss in 2020. Deepak Prakash, son of RLM leader Upendra Kushwaha, has also been appointed despite not being a member of either House, and is anticipated to join the Legislative Council, where four seats have opened due to ministerial promotions.
Prakash, an engineer at 37, represents the politically active Kushwaha family, with his mother, Snehlata Kushwaha, serving as an MLA from Sasaram, while his father has held various political offices.