Patna: The new cabinet in Bihar led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is distinguished not only by its political alliances but also by the significant presence of family-based political ties. Out of 26 ministers sworn in with CM Nitish, ten have connections to political families, either carrying on their father’s legacy or enhancing their spouses’ political stature. These ministers represent a variety of ruling NDA parties, such as the Janata Dal (United), Bharatiya Janata Party, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha. While some are new appointees, others, like Vijay Choudhary, Ashok Choudhary, Leshi Singh, and Nitin Nabin, are experienced politicians with several terms in office.
Notable family-connected ministers include: Samrat Choudhary – The Deputy Chief Minister comes from a political lineage; his father, Shakuni Choudhary, held multiple terms as an MLA for the Tarapur constituency with the Congress, Samata Party, and RJD, and served as a minister in Rabri Devi’s administration. Samrat also served in the Rabri Devi government. Vijay Kumar Choudhary – A senior JD(U) figure, Vijay entered politics after his father, Jagdish Prasad Choudhary, a three-time Congress MLA from Dalsinghsarai, passed away. He won a by-election on a Congress ticket before joining the JD(U). Ashok Choudhary – Representing the JD(U), Ashok carries on the political tradition established by his father, Mahavir Coaudhary, a former Congress minister.
Ashok has previously been Bihar Congress president, and his daughter, Shambhavi, is an LJP(R) MP. Santosh Kumar Suman – A minister from the HAM(S) quota, he is the son of former Bihar Chief Minister and HAM founder Jitan Ram Manjhi. Santosh serves as the party’s national president, with other family members, including his sister-in-law and wife, also being MLAs. Deepak Prakash – A first-time appointee, he is the son of Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha, while his mother, Snehlata, is an MLA from Sasaram. Nitin Nabin – Nabin took over his father, Naveen Kishore Prasad Sinha’s, position, who was a four-time BJP MLA from Patna West (now Bankipur), a seat he has held since 2008.
Sunil Kumar – A former IPS officer and JD(U) minister, he is the son of Chandrika Ram, a freedom fighter and former Bihar minister. Shreyasi Singh – A Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Shreyasi is a first-time minister and the daughter of Digvijay Singh, a former central government minister. Her mother, Putul Devi, subsequently became MP from Banka. Rama Nishad – Representing the BJP, her political background is linked to her husband, Ajay Nishad, and father-in-law, Captain Jai Narayan Nishad, both of whom served as MPs from Muzaffarpur. Leshi Singh – A female leader from JD(U), she turned to politics after the assassination of her husband, Butan Singh, a former Samata Party district president.
