Samrat Chaudhary to Take Oath as Bihar's First BJP Chief Minister
A New Chapter in Bihar Politics
Today marks a significant moment in Bihar's political landscape as Samrat Chaudhary is set to be sworn in as the 24th Chief Minister of the state. This event is historic as it will be the first time a leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumes the chief ministerial role in Bihar. The oath-taking ceremony will see the presence of several prominent leaders from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including BJP National President Nitin Naveen, senior BJP leader and Union Minister J.P. Nadda, along with Union Ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi.
With Chaudhary's swearing-in, Bihar will welcome its inaugural BJP Chief Minister. This transition follows the resignation of JD(U) President Nitish Kumar, who stepped down from his position after taking the oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Oath-Taking Ceremony at Lok Bhawan
The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday at 10:50 AM at Lok Bhawan, where Governor Syed Ata Hasnain will administer the oath. In addition to the Chief Minister, two Deputy Chief Ministers will also take their oaths. JD(U) leaders Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav will be sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers. Reports suggest that initially, only three leaders will be included in the cabinet, indicating a 'small' cabinet that may expand next month, leaving 33 ministerial positions vacant after the ceremony.
Political Shift and NDA Support
This political shift was formalized during a meeting of NDA legislators, where Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar announced that all members unanimously chose Chaudhary as their leader. Earlier in the day, BJP legislators selected Chaudhary as their legislative party leader in the presence of senior party leaders, including central observer Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Subsequently, Chaudhary expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their trust in him, stating his commitment to advancing both Bihar's development and the BJP's ideological goals.
Farewell to Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar, who has served as Bihar's Chief Minister for the longest period, began his final day in office by paying tribute to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, followed by attending a farewell cabinet meeting. He later submitted his resignation to the Governor at Lok Bhawan, assuring that the new government would receive his 'full cooperation and guidance.' Kumar, who has held the chief ministerial position a record ten times since 2005, refrained from speaking to the media but released a detailed statement reflecting on his tenure and contributions.
Tejashwi's Remarks on Samrat
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav made a pointed remark about Chaudhary, labeling him as a 'product of Lalu Ji's school' and questioning the NDA's mandate, which was contested under Nitish Kumar's leadership. Meanwhile, BJP leaders and workers celebrated this development, deeming it a historic moment for the party in Bihar. Chaudhary, who began his political journey with the RJD before joining the BJP in 2017, has long been viewed as a strong contender for the chief ministerial position, especially after Kumar hinted at moving to the Rajya Sabha.