Politics – Bihar NDA Cabinet Expansion Brings Nishant Kumar Into Government
Politics – Former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar officially entered active governance on Thursday after taking oath as a minister in the newly expanded National Democratic Alliance government in Patna.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at the historic Gandhi Maidan in the presence of several senior leaders of the ruling alliance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda, and senior JD(U) and BJP leaders attended the event.
Major Cabinet Reshuffle in Bihar
A total of 32 leaders were sworn in as ministers in the NDA government. The cabinet includes representatives from multiple alliance partners, with the BJP securing 15 positions and Janata Dal (United) receiving 13 berths. Two ministers were inducted from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), while Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha received one position each.
The latest cabinet formation also introduced five new faces into the Bihar government, reflecting efforts by the alliance to balance political representation ahead of upcoming electoral challenges.
Nishant Kumar Steps Into Active Politics
Nishant Kumar, who trained as an engineer, had reportedly remained hesitant about formally joining the government. According to political sources, senior JD(U) leaders persuaded him to reconsider after multiple rounds of discussions.
Among those who played a key role in convincing him were senior party figures Sanjay Kumar Jha, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.
Earlier speculation suggested Nishant Kumar could be elevated directly to the post of Deputy Chief Minister. However, he reportedly declined the offer before eventually agreeing to join the cabinet as a minister.
Leadership Transition After Nitish Kumar’s Exit
The cabinet expansion follows significant political developments in Bihar over recent weeks. BJP leader Samrat Choudhary became the party’s first Chief Minister in Bihar after Nitish Kumar shifted to the Rajya Sabha and resigned from the top post.
On April 15, Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as Chief Minister, while Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers.
Political observers believe the latest cabinet exercise is aimed at reinforcing coordination within the NDA alliance while ensuring broader caste and regional representation across Bihar.
Leaders Included in the New Ministry
Several senior and experienced leaders were included in the newly formed ministry. Those sworn in included Vijay Kumar Sinha, Shrawan Kumar, Nishant Kumar, Dilip Jaiswal, Leshi Singh, Ram Kripal Yadav, Nitish Mishra, Damodar Rawat, Sanjay Singh “Tiger”, Ashok Chaudhary, Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha, Arun Shankar Prasad, Madan Sahni, Santosh Kumar Suman, Rama Nishad, Ratnesh Sada, Kumar Shailendra, Sheila Kumari, Kedar Prasad Gupta, Lakhendra Kumar Roshan, Sunil Kumar, Shreyashi Singh, Mohd Zama Khan, Nandkishor Ram, Sailesh Kumar, Pramod Kumar, Shweta Gupta, Mithilesh Tiwari, Ramchandra Prasad, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Sanjay Kumar, and Deepak Prakash.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Governor Syed Ata Hasnain during the ceremony held under tight security arrangements in Patna.