BJP’s Samrat Choudhary set to take oath as Bihar CM; two JD(U) leaders likely as Deputy CMs

By Amarnath Tewary, The Hindu, April 15:The newly elected leader of ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Samrat Choudhary will be sworn-in as the next Chief Minister of Bihar on Wednesday (April 15, 2026), marking an end of over a decades-long political era of outgoing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Two senior leaders from Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) — Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Choudhary — are also likely to be sworn in as Deputy CMs of the State.

There were talks and speculation earlier that Nishant Kumar, son of Nitish Kumar, who joined JD-U recently, might take an oath as one of the Dy CMs of the State. However, he is reluctant to don the post before gaining any political experience.

Both Mr. Bijendra Prasad Yadav, 79 and Mr. Vijay Kumar Choudhary, 69 are close to the outgoing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and were Ministers in his cabinet.

Mr. Yadav has been a Minister in Bihar since 2005, but his failing health has been a cause of concern for others, including Mr. Kumar. In the previous cabinet of Mr. Kumar, Mr. Yadav was the Minister for Finance, Planning and Development.

He has been winning Assembly elections from the Supaul constituency since 1990.

The newly elected leader of ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Samrat Choudhary will be sworn-in as the next Chief Minister of Bihar on Wednesday (April 15, 2026), marking an end of over a decades-long political era of outgoing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Two senior leaders from Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) — Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Choudhary — are also likely to be sworn in as Deputy CMs of the State.

There were talks and speculation earlier that Nishant Kumar, son of Nitish Kumar, who joined JD-U recently, might take an oath as one of the Dy CMs of the State. However, he is reluctant to don the post before gaining any political experience.

Both Mr. Bijendra Prasad Yadav, 79 and Mr. Vijay Kumar Choudhary, 69 are close to the outgoing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and were Ministers in his cabinet.

Mr. Yadav has been a Minister in Bihar since 2005, but his failing health has been a cause of concern for others, including Mr. Kumar. In the previous cabinet of Mr. Kumar, Mr. Yadav was the Minister for Finance, Planning and Development.

He has been winning Assembly elections from the Supaul constituency since 1990.

Earlier, Mr. Yadav had also served as a Minister for Energy department in the previous Rashtriya Janata Dal government head by its leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. He was also a Minister for Urban Development in the cabinet of Mr. Yadav in 1995 under the RJD government.

Later when Janata Dal split in 1997 and Mr. Prasad formed the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bijendra Prasad Yadav joined the faction led by Sharad Yadav, which eventually became the Janata Dal (United) and since then, Mr. Yadav has remained with JD(U), winning Assembly elections for nine-consecutive terms from Supaul.

When Nishant Kumar refused to become Deputy CM along with Mr. Choudhary, the party successfully roped-in Bijendra Prasad Yadav for the post, according to reports. Mr Yadav, earlier, had announced that if Mr. Kumar would not be the Chief Minister of the State, he too would not remain the Minister.

The newly elected leader of ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Samrat Choudhary will be sworn-in as the next Chief Minister of Bihar on Wednesday (April 15, 2026), marking an end of over a decades-long political era of outgoing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Two senior leaders from Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) — Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Choudhary — are also likely to be sworn in as Deputy CMs of the State.

There were talks and speculation earlier that Nishant Kumar, son of Nitish Kumar, who joined JD-U recently, might take an oath as one of the Dy CMs of the State. However, he is reluctant to don the post before gaining any political experience.

Both Mr. Bijendra Prasad Yadav, 79 and Mr. Vijay Kumar Choudhary, 69 are close to the outgoing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and were Ministers in his cabinet.

Mr. Yadav has been a Minister in Bihar since 2005, but his failing health has been a cause of concern for others, including Mr. Kumar. In the previous cabinet of Mr. Kumar, Mr. Yadav was the Minister for Finance, Planning and Development.

He has been winning Assembly elections from the Supaul constituency since 1990.

Earlier, Mr. Yadav had also served as a Minister for Energy department in the previous Rashtriya Janata Dal government head by its leader Lalu Prasad Yadav. He was also a Minister for Urban Development in the cabinet of Mr. Yadav in 1995 under the RJD government.

Later when Janata Dal split in 1997 and Mr. Prasad formed the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bijendra Prasad Yadav joined the faction led by Sharad Yadav, which eventually became the Janata Dal (United) and since then, Mr. Yadav has remained with JD(U), winning Assembly elections for nine-consecutive terms from Supaul.

When Nishant Kumar refused to become Deputy CM along with Mr. Choudhary, the party successfully roped-in Bijendra Prasad Yadav for the post, according to reports. Mr Yadav, earlier, had announced that if Mr. Kumar would not be the Chief Minister of the State, he too would not remain the Minister.

Similarly, Mr. Choudhary has been in JD-U since 2005 winning Assembly elections from Sarairanjan constituency of Samastipur district. In the previous cabinet under Nitish Kumar, he was the Minister for Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs.

The soft-spoken Mr. Choudhary began his political career with the Congress Party, winning Assembly elections from Dalsinghsarai constituency of the district (1985 & 1990). He has also served as General Secretary of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) from 2000-2005. Earlier, he was also the chief whip of the Congress Legislature Party in the State.

He joined JD-U in 2005 and contested the October 2005 Assembly elections unsuccessfully from Sarairanjan constituency. In 2010, he was nominated as State President of JD(U) and led the party to victory in the 2010 Assembly elections and won the polls from Sarairanjan constituency with a margin of over 17 thousand votes, and was then inducted into Nitish Kumar’s cabinet as Water Resources Minister.

Later, Mr. Choudhary, who is considered very close to Nitish Kumar, was also elected as Speaker of Bihar Legislative Assembly from December 2, 2015 to November 15, 2020. He was succeeded as Speaker of the Assembly by BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha

The cabinet expansion of the new government is said to take place after the results of West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry Assembly elections, which are currently underway.

In the ruling NDA with total 202 legislators, there have been 89 MLAs of BJP, 85 of JD-U, 19 of Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), 5 from Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and 4 from Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) parties.

In the total 243-member State Assembly, the maximum number of Ministers could be 36. The Ministers from coalition parties, though, are said to be remain in the new cabinet.