Bihar: Samrat Choudhary takes oath as CM, becomes first BJP leader at the helm

The development marks a departure from over two decades of politics centred around Nitish Kumar, who resigned as chief minister on Tuesday.

Former deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary was sworn in on Wednesday as the state’s first BJP chief minister of an NDA government, along with two JD(U) deputy chief ministers, at a low-key ceremony in Patna.

Samrat Choudhary Oath Ceremony Marks BJP’s First Bihar Chief Minister | HT India

A three-time MLA, Choudhary took oath as the 24th chief minister of Bihar. He was followed by Vijay Kumar Choudhary, a seven-time MLA, and Bijendra Prasad Yadav, a nine-time MLA, who were sworn in as deputy chief ministers. Governor Lt Gen (Rtd) Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath of office.

The development marks a departure from over two decades of politics centred around Nitish Kumar, who resigned as chief minister on Tuesday and was present at the swearing-in.

Nitish Kumar had himself been sworn in for a record 10th term as Chief Minister on November 20, 2025, along with two Deputy Chief Ministers and a 26-member cabinet, following a landslide NDA victory that secured 202 seats in the 243-member Assembly.

In contrast, the new Cabinet begins with just three members—a BJP Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers from the JD(U)—in a reversal of roles from November, when Kumar led the government with BJP leaders as his deputies.

“The cabinet expansion will take place after the elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. It may take some time, probably in the first week of May,” two senior leaders from the BJP and JD(U) said.

This is the second NDA government formed within five months, with the BJP and JD(U) effectively swapping the Chief Minister’s position. Despite the political significance of the transition, the swearing-in was deliberately kept simple to underline continuity and a smooth transfer of power.

Contrary to expectations for such a major political event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah did not attend the ceremony. BJP leaders attributed their absence to preoccupations with ongoing state elections and the forthcoming special session of Parliament.

“This is the continuation of the NDA government that was installed last year. As Nitish Kumar decided to move to Rajya Sabha after a long, illustrious stint as CM, the situation necessitated a new CM. It is a rejig due to circumstances. The reality is that Bihar continues to have an NDA government,” said a senior BJP leader.

Three former finance ministers in top roles

A notable feature of the new leadership is that all three at the helm have previously served as finance ministers, with Bijendra Prasad Yadav holding the portfolio in the last Nitish Kumar cabinet.

For Bihar, which is grappling with mounting fiscal pressures — including a debt burden exceeding ₹3.5 lakh crore, high committed expenditure, and heavy dependence on central transfers — the new leadership faces immediate economic challenges.

The government’s first major task will be to restore fiscal discipline without imposing additional burdens on citizens, as delays in salary payments, pensions, and dues to contractors have emerged as pressing concerns.

The Bihar Budget for 2026–27 has pegged the fiscal deficit at 3% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), while revised estimates for 2024–25 suggest a significantly higher deficit, underscoring the strain caused by expansive welfare commitments that limit fiscal flexibility and development spending.

“The financial strain of the state government is expected to continue despite a smooth political transition due to the state’s ground realities and an unlikely sudden and extraordinary shift in administrative functioning,” said professor NK Choudhary, former head of the economics department.

He warned that the state could face prolonged administrative and developmental setbacks unless the new government undertakes immediate corrective fiscal measures.

Experts also pointed out that Bihar’s fiscal stress is rooted in difficulties in meeting expenditure commitments outlined in the 2025–2026 state budget.

“The state government came out with huge supplementary budgets amounting to nearly half of the original budget allocation in 2025–26. This has raised concerns about fiscal management and sustainability under the existing setup. Since February, treasury operations across district offices have reportedly been under unofficial restrictions,” they added.

The Opposition has linked the financial crunch to large-scale, unplanned expenditures during the recent Assembly elections, which were not accounted for in the original budget, further straining the state’s finances.