Nitish Kumar's 10th Oath: Why His 26-Minister Cabinet Signals Continuity

The cabinet includes 14 ministers from the BJP, 8 from the JDU, 2 from the LJP(RV), 1 from the RLM, and 1 from HAM.

Among the members of the new cabinet, Samrat Choudhary has emerged as the second most influential leader after Nitish Kumar.

He won from the Tarapur Assembly constituency in Munger district and has been appointed Deputy Chief Minister for the second time.

His elevation reaffirms his growing stature within Bihar’s BJP and the broader NDA alliance.

Vijay Kumar Sinha, another senior BJP leader, was also sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister. He won from the Lakhisarai Assembly seat as the BJP candidate.

Sinha, who held the same position in the previous government, has retained his role in the new cabinet, signalling continuity and the party’s confidence in his leadership.

Mangal Pandey, a senior BJP leader in Bihar, contested the 2025 Assembly election from the Siwan constituency.

A prominent face of the party, he previously served as the Health Minister of the state.

Sanjay Singh Tiger also took the oath as a minister in the new Nitish Kumar government.

He has earlier served as an MLA from the Sandesh Assembly constituency, and his inclusion reflects the BJP’s focus on leaders with strong regional influence.

Shreyasi Singh, an international shooting champion and BJP MLA from Jamui, has been elected for the second consecutive time.

She has now been inducted into the cabinet, marking her growing stature in state politics.

Leshi Singh, a senior JDU MLA from Dhamdaha in Purnea district, has once again secured a ministerial position.

Known for her proximity to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, she earlier served as the Food and Consumer Affairs Minister.

Dilip Jaiswal, the BJP state president and an MLC from Kishanganj district, has also been sworn in as a cabinet minister, highlighting the party’s trust in organisational leaders.

Ram Kripal Yadav, a veteran BJP leader and former Union Minister, has made a political comeback through the Assembly.

After losing the 2024 Lok Sabha election to Misa Bharti in Pataliputra, he contested from the Danapur Assembly seat and defeated RJD’s Rit Lal Yadav.

His victory has earned him a ministerial berth in the new Nitish Kumar government.

Nitin Naveen, who contested the Bankipur Assembly seat on a BJP ticket, has taken oath as a cabinet minister in the new Nitish Kumar government.

A key BJP face in Patna and other urban regions, he previously served as the Road Construction Minister.

Vijay Kumar Choudhary, a trusted associate of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, won the election from the Sarairanjan constituency on a JDU ticket.

He held the portfolios of Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs in the previous cabinet.

Deepak Prakash Kushwaha, son of Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha, has also been inducted as a cabinet minister.

Despite not being an MLA or MLC, he has taken the oath and is expected to be elected to the Legislative Council within six months.

Bijendra Prasad Yadav, another close associate of Nitish Kumar, has retained his cabinet position. Representing the Supaul constituency, he served as the Power Minister in the previous government.

Shravan Kumar, a senior JDU leader from Nalanda district and MLA from the Nalanda Assembly constituency, has once again been included in the cabinet.

He previously held the Rural Development portfolio.

Ashok Choudhary, considered one of the most influential leaders in the Nitish Kumar government, has also taken oath as a minister.

An MLC, he recently faced corruption allegations raised by Prashant Kishor.

Choudhary has twice represented the Barbigha constituency as an MLA in the past and earlier served as the Rural Works Minister.

Jama Khan, the sole Muslim face in the new cabinet, has been sworn in as a minister from the JDU quota.

He won the 2025 Assembly election from Chainpur constituency in Kaimur district.

In 2020, he had won from the same seat on a BSP ticket before later joining the JDU.

Madan Sahani, who won the 2025 Assembly election from the Bahadurpur constituency in Darbhanga district on a JDU ticket, has been inducted into the new cabinet. Sahani previously served as the Social Welfare Minister in the Nitish Kumar government.

Pramod Kumar, a BJP MLC in Bihar, has also taken oath as a minister in the newly formed government.

Arun Shankar Prasad, the BJP MLA from Khajauli constituency in Madhubani district, has secured a cabinet berth after winning the seat for the third consecutive time.

Surendra Mehta, who clinched victory from the Bachwara constituency in Begusarai district, has been sworn in as a minister. He previously served as the Sports Minister.

Narayan Prasad, a senior BJP leader, has been elected for the fourth time from the Nautan constituency and has once again taken oath as a cabinet minister.

Rama Nishad, contesting for the first time, won the Aurai Assembly seat in Muzaffarpur district on a BJP ticket.

She is the wife of former BJP MP Ajay Nishad, who represented Muzaffarpur in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Lakhendra Kumar Roshan, elected from Patepur constituency on a BJP ticket for the second time, has been appointed as a cabinet minister in the new government.

Santosh Kumar Suman, national president of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and an MLC, has also taken oath as a cabinet minister.

He has previously held ministerial responsibilities in earlier governments.

With Nitish Kumar’s 10th swearing-in and the induction of a socially diverse and politically balanced council of ministers, the new NDA government has formally taken charge in Bihar.

- IANS