The NDA government in Bihar is gearing up for a significant cabinet expansion scheduled for May 7. The swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers will take place at the renowned Gandhi Maidan, with preparations already underway for the event. The council of ministers can include a maximum of 36 members, including the Chief Minister. Currently, Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary leads the government, alongside two Deputy Chief Ministers from the JD(U), Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav.
Just two days ago, on Sunday, Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior BJP leaders in New Delhi, intensifying speculation about the upcoming cabinet expansion. Sources indicate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. This development follows the BJP's significant victory in the recent West Bengal assembly elections, where they ended Mamata Banerjee's 15-year tenure.
Samrat Chaudhary took the oath of office as Chief Minister on April 15, marking a leadership change after Nitish Kumar stepped down a day earlier. He was sworn in alongside the two JD(U) Deputy Chief Ministers. Notably, senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, were unable to attend the April 15 ceremony due to their commitments in various state election campaigns.
According to sources, the new cabinet is likely to comprise 12 ministers from the BJP, 11 from JD(U), 2 from LJP (Ram Vilas), and one each from HAM and RLM. Additionally, it is anticipated that six ministerial positions will remain vacant for the time being. All eight current ministers from JD(U) are expected to retain their positions, with five new faces potentially joining the cabinet: Shweta Gupta, Bhagwan Kushwaha, Ratnesh Sada, Shile Mandal, and Bulo Mandal. This expansion is viewed as a strategic move ahead of upcoming political developments, aimed at balancing caste equations and strengthening the NDA alliance in the state.