Patna, May 8 (IANS) A major political development unfolded in Bihar on Thursday as the NDA government led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary underwent a massive Cabinet expansion at Gandhi Maidan.

In a grand ceremony attended by top national and state leaders, a total of 32 ministers took oath of office and secrecy, following which the allocation of portfolios was officially announced.

One of the most significant decisions in the new Cabinet was the appointment of Nishant Kumar as Bihar’s new Health Minister. His induction into the Cabinet is being viewed as a major political milestone and a symbolic transition of leadership within the JD-U.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has been assigned the Agriculture Department, a portfolio previously handled by Ram Kripal Yadav.

Ram Kripal Yadav has now been entrusted with the Cooperation Department, while Nitish Mishra has been allocated the Urban Development and Housing Department along with the Information Technology Department.

Dilip Kumar Jaiswal has been given charge of the Revenue and Land Reforms Department.

Engineer Shailendra has been assigned the Road Construction Department, while Bullo Mandal has been allocated the Energy Department.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has retained several key portfolios, including General Administration, Home, Cabinet Secretariat, Vigilance, Election, and Civil Aviation, along with departments not specifically allocated to any minister.

Senior JD-U leader Vijay Kumar Choudhary has been entrusted with the Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs departments, while Bijendra Prasad Yadav has been allocated the crucial Finance and Commercial Taxes departments.

Among other major allocations, Shravan Kumar has been assigned the Rural Development and Information and Public Relations departments, while Leshi Singh has been made Minister for Building Construction.

The Cabinet expansion is being viewed as politically significant ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

The NDA leadership appears to have carefully balanced caste, regional, and alliance equations while distributing ministerial responsibilities.

Out of the 32 ministers inducted into the Cabinet, 15 belong to the BJP quota, while 13 leaders have been accommodated from the JD-U.

In addition, two ministers each have been inducted from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), while one minister each represents the Hindustani Awam Morcha and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha led by Upendra Kushwaha.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by several senior NDA leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, Union Ministers Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh and Nityanand Rai, BJP MP Sanjay Jha, and minister Nitin Nabin.

Political observers believe that the Cabinet expansion is not merely an administrative exercise but also a strategic attempt by the NDA to strengthen its social coalition and project generational change ahead of the crucial Bihar Assembly elections.

–IANS

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