News Summary
- Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister on Wednesday, becoming the first BJP leader to hold the post.
- Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath at Lok Bhavan in Patna.
- Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister on Tuesday after serving as Bihar’s longest-tenured CM.
- Choudhary, 57, belongs to the Kushwaha OBC community, which makes up roughly 6 to 7 per cent of Bihar’s population.
Samrat Choudhary Bihar Chief Minister: that combination became official on Wednesday when the 57-year-old took the oath of office at Lok Bhavan in Patna. Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath. Choudhary was serving as Deputy Chief Minister until Tuesday, when Nitish Kumar stepped down.
The BJP now holds the top post in every major Hindi heartland state. The party already had chief ministers in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Delhi. Bihar was the one notable gap, and Wednesday’s swearing-in closed it.
Why Choudhary Got the Post
Caste arithmetic shaped the choice. Choudhary belongs to the Koeri, or Kushwaha, community, a prominent Other Backward Class group. The Kushwaha community is the largest backward caste in Bihar after the Yadavs, accounting for roughly 6 to 7 per cent of the state’s population. JD(U), Nitish Kumar’s party and the BJP’s NDA partner, had specifically asked the BJP to pick a chief minister from this caste group.
Choudhary also carries deep political roots. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, won the Tarapur assembly seat six times. His mother, Parvati Devi, won the same seat in 1998 on the now-defunct Samta Party ticket. Choudhary entered active politics in 1990 and has moved across party lines since then, from Lalu Yadav’s RJD to Nitish Kumar’s JDU, before joining the BJP in 2017.
Nitish Kumar Steps Back
Nitish Kumar, now a Rajya Sabha member, posted on X after resigning. “Now the new government will look after the work in Bihar. The new government will have my full cooperation and guidance,” he wrote. Kumar’s departure ends a long era defined by his “Sushasan” or good governance brand in the state.
Samrat Choudhary Bihar Chief Minister now leads the NDA government into a new phase, with Kumar’s backing from the upper house and the BJP’s full organisational weight behind him.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Samrat Choudhary and what is his background?
Samrat Choudhary is a 57-year-old Bihar politician born in 1968. He comes from a politically prominent family in Tarapur and entered active politics in 1990, serving in RJD and JDU before joining the BJP in 2017.
Why was Samrat Choudhary chosen as Bihar Chief Minister?
Choudhary belongs to the Kushwaha OBC community, which accounts for roughly 6 to 7 per cent of Bihar’s population. JD(U) had specifically asked the BJP to appoint a chief minister from this caste group.
What happened to Nitish Kumar after he resigned?
Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, resigned on Tuesday and is now a Rajya Sabha member. He posted on X saying the new government would have his full cooperation and guidance.
Is Samrat Choudhary the first BJP Chief Minister in Bihar?
Yes. Choudhary is the first BJP leader to serve as Bihar Chief Minister. Before his swearing-in, Bihar was the only major Hindi heartland state without a BJP chief minister.
