NDA Expands Bihar Cabinet with 32 Ministers as Samrat Choudhary Unveils New Team Ahead of Polls

Patna, May 2026 : In a major political development ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Samrat Choudhary on Thursday carried out a massive Cabinet expansion at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, inducting 32 ministers and announcing an extensive reshuffle of portfolios aimed at balancing political, caste, and regional equations.

The grand swearing-in ceremony witnessed the presence of several senior national and state-level NDA leaders and marked one of the most significant political exercises since the formation of the new government in Bihar.

Among the key highlights of the Cabinet expansion was the appointment of Nishant Kumar as Bihar’s new Health Minister. His induction into the Cabinet is being viewed as both politically symbolic and strategically important for the Janata Dal (United), with many observers describing it as a sign of generational transition within the party.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha has been entrusted with the Agriculture Department, replacing Ram Kripal Yadav, who has now been assigned the Cooperation Department.

Senior BJP leader Nitish Mishra has been allocated the Urban Development and Housing Department along with the Information Technology portfolio, reflecting the government’s focus on urban infrastructure and digital governance.

Dilip Kumar Jaiswal has been given charge of the Revenue and Land Reforms Department, while Engineer Shailendra has been assigned the Road Construction Department. Bullo Mandal will head the Energy Department.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has retained control over several crucial portfolios, including General Administration, Home, Cabinet Secretariat, Vigilance, Election, and Civil Aviation departments, in addition to 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 veteran leader Bijendra Prasad Yadav has been given charge of the important Finance and Commercial Taxes portfolios.

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

The Cabinet expansion has drawn considerable political attention because of the NDA’s apparent effort to carefully accommodate alliance partners while also maintaining caste and regional balance within the government.

Out of the 32 ministers inducted, 15 belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party quota, while 13 ministers have been accommodated from the JD-U. In addition, two ministers each have been included 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 event witnessed the presence of several top NDA leaders, including Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, along with senior NDA leaders Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Nityanand Rai, BJP MP Sanjay Jha, and minister Nitin Nabin.

Political analysts believe the Cabinet reshuffle is not merely an administrative exercise but a calculated political move aimed at strengthening the NDA’s social coalition and electoral prospects before the crucial Assembly elections. The induction of new faces, redistribution of key portfolios, and inclusion of alliance partners are being viewed as part of a broader strategy to project unity, stability, and generational change within the ruling alliance.

The Cabinet expansion is expected to play a crucial role in shaping Bihar’s political landscape in the coming months as the NDA intensifies preparations for the next Assembly polls.