Nitish Kumar Loses Home Portfolio After Nearly Two Decades as BJP Strengthens Grip in Bihar

Patna, Nov 2025 : In a major political development in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has, for the first time in almost twenty years, relinquished the powerful Home Department—a portfolio he had held almost continuously since 2005, irrespective of the ruling coalition. The new allocation of ministerial responsibilities, released on Friday evening, marks a significant shift in the power balance within the state’s ruling alliance.

Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Samrat Choudhary has now been entrusted with the Home Department, a move seen as a clear assertion of the BJP’s growing authority in the government. Nitish Kumar, however, will continue to oversee several crucial departments, including General Administration, Cabinet Secretariat, and Vigilance. He will also supervise any departments that remain without an appointed minister.

For decades, Nitish Kumar—popularly known as ‘Sushasan Babu’—has positioned himself as the architect of Bihar’s improved law and order after the turbulent ‘Jungle Raj’ period. Political observers say the loss of the Home portfolio signals a notable reduction in his administrative command and represents a reconfiguration of power within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

Across most Indian states, Chief Ministers traditionally retain the Home portfolio to maintain direct control over the administrative and police machinery. West Bengal follows this long-standing norm, with Mamata Banerjee serving simultaneously as Chief Minister and Home Minister. Even in previous decades, during the Left Front governments of Jyoti Basu and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, this unwritten rule was upheld. Analysts believe that the shift in Bihar reflects the BJP’s intention to assert a stronger influence within the state’s governance structure.

Reports had previously indicated that the BJP, the largest constituent of the NDA in terms of seat share, had insisted on securing the Home Department during negotiations with Nitish Kumar’s JD(U). With Friday’s formal allocation, the party has now taken charge of the key ministry.

The reshuffle has also redistributed several important departments among the alliance partners. Bihar’s second Deputy Chief Minister, BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha, has been assigned the Revenue & Land Reforms and Mines & Geology portfolios. Senior BJP leader Mangal Pandey will oversee both Health and Law—two ministries crucial to the state’s administrative and judicial functioning. Former RJD leader and now BJP MLA Ramkripal Yadav has taken charge of Agriculture, while BJP MLA Dilip Jaiswal will lead the Commercial Taxes Department.

Although the JD(U) has surrendered the Home Ministry, it retains control over the vital Finance Department. JD(U) veteran Bijendra Prasad Yadav has been appointed the new Finance Minister and will also handle Power, Planning & Development, and Food & Consumer Protection. Nitish loyalist Vijay Chaudhary has been allocated Housing, Water Resources, and Parliamentary Affairs. JD(U) minister Shrawan Kumar will head Rural Development and Public Works, while Ashok Chaudhary has been entrusted with the Rural Development portfolio.

Among the BJP’s newer faces, Olympic shooter and Jamui MLA Shreyasi Singh—who took oath on Thursday—has been given Sports and Information Technology. Deepak Prakash, son of RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha, will lead the Panchayati Raj Department, while Santosh Suman, son of HAM(S) founder and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, will serve as Minister for Minor Water Resources.

With the reshuffle now complete, the emerging power structure in Bihar makes the BJP’s expanding influence unmistakably clear, setting the stage for a new political dynamic in the state.