Caste Balance Dominates New Bihar Cabinet as Nitish Kumar Begins 10th Term

Patna, Nov 2025 : Caste equations have once again taken centre stage in Bihar’s political landscape, with the newly formed NDA government unveiling a cabinet carefully structured to maintain social and electoral balance. The swearing-in ceremony, held on Thursday at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan, marked Nitish Kumar’s 10th oath as Chief Minister and the induction of 26 ministers representing various caste groups and coalition partners.

The new cabinet comprises 14 ministers from the BJP, eight from the JD(U), two from the LJP(RV), and one each from the RLM and HAM—reflecting the NDA’s emphasis on broad-based social outreach.

A notable shift in caste representation emerged from the BJP’s decision to reduce Brahmin presence in the cabinet. In the previous government, both Mangal Pandey and Nitish Mishra represented the Brahmin community. This time, only Mangal Pandey has been retained, while the JD(U) has offered no berth to any Brahmin MLA. The move highlights a recalibration of caste priorities within the NDA.

Conversely, the BJP has placed significant emphasis on the Rajput community, historically one of its core support bases in Bihar. Four ministers—Sanjay Tiger, Shreyasi Singh, Leshi Singh, and Sanjay Singh—have been inducted from this influential caste group, indicating a clear bid to consolidate Rajput support ahead of future electoral challenges.

The Bhumihar community, another key political player in the state, has secured two important ministerial berths through Vijay Kumar Sinha and Vijay Chaudhary. Both leaders have long-standing influence in their constituencies and are seen as crucial to the NDA’s organisational strength.

Nitin Naveen, representing the Kayastha community, has also been included in the cabinet. A significant BJP figure, particularly in Patna and other urban constituencies, Naveen’s inclusion underscores the party’s intent to retain its urban support base.

With Other Backward Classes (OBCs) forming the largest social bloc in Bihar, the cabinet composition reflects their demographic weight. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary (Kushwaha/Koeri) represents one of the most politically active OBC groups. Deepak Prakash (Kushwaha) continues the legacy associated with Upendra Kushwaha’s community influence.

Yadav representation—traditionally a stronghold of the RJD—comes through Ram Kripal Yadav and Vijendra Prasad Yadav. Their inclusion signals the NDA’s strategic attempt to broaden its support across caste lines and diminish the RJD’s exclusive hold over the Yadav electorate.

Shravan Kumar (Kurmi), a long-time confidant of Nitish Kumar and an essential pillar of the JD(U), retains his place in the cabinet, reflecting the party’s sustained reliance on Kurmi support. Pramod Kumar (Chandravanshi/OBC) further strengthens the OBC presence.

The NDA has also ensured robust representation for Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), a segment that has consistently played a decisive role in its electoral successes. Among those inducted are Surendra Mehta (Dhanuk), Rama Nishad (Nishad/Mallah), Madan Sahani (Mallah), Lakhendra Kumar Roshan (Paswan), Sunil Kumar (Ravidas), Santosh Kumar Suman (Manjhi community), and Sanjay Kumar (Paswan). Their inclusion underscores the coalition’s commitment to retaining its strong EBC support base.

To signal inclusivity across all communities, Mohammad Jama Khan has been inducted as the cabinet’s Muslim representative. Though limited in number, the gesture holds symbolic importance and reflects the NDA’s effort to project a broader social coalition.

Overall, the new Bihar cabinet reveals a meticulously crafted caste matrix—one aimed at maintaining political equilibrium and reinforcing the NDA’s diverse social base as Nitish Kumar embarks on yet another term.