Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary met his predecessor and Janata Dal (United) national president Nitish Kumar at the latter's residence on Saturday morning, before departing for New Delhi in the evening. This meeting has fueled speculation regarding a potential cabinet expansion. Sources indicate that the long-pending exercise, which was delayed due to the West Bengal assembly elections, could take place after the results are declared on May 4.
Meeting at Nitish's New Residence
The meeting took place at 7, Circular Road — Nitish's new residence after vacating the chief minister's official house — and lasted approximately 30 minutes. While there was no official confirmation regarding the agenda discussed, sources revealed that cabinet expansion and political coordination within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) were among the key topics addressed.
Current Cabinet Composition
At present, only three members have taken oath in the new government: Samrat Choudhary and his deputies Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav. All three are currently handling multiple departments. The chief minister holds charge of as many as 29 departments, while the two deputy chief ministers together manage 18 portfolios, with Vijay Kumar Choudhary overseeing 10 and Yadav managing eight.
Sources said that Samrat Choudhary has traveled to New Delhi with a list of probable ministers for approval from the party high command. Caste representation within the NDA and continuity with Nitish Kumar's governance model are expected to play crucial roles in the selection process. Induction of some new and younger faces is being considered, although a majority of ministers from the previous Nitish Kumar cabinet may be retained.
Focus on Former Deputy CM
Attention has also turned to former deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, who earlier handled key portfolios such as revenue and land reforms, and mines. Some of his earlier decisions were reviewed by the present administration, and changes in his departments, including transfer of senior officials, are believed to have left him upset. His role in the new cabinet remains uncertain.
Samrat Choudhary's Delhi visit followed Nitish Kumar's meetings with close aides Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, and Ashok Choudhary, intensifying political activity in the state capital.
Nitish's Recent Move
These developments came a day after Nitish Kumar shifted to 7, Circular Road — a residence he had briefly occupied in 2014 after stepping down following a poor Lok Sabha election performance. Except for that brief period, 1, Anne Marg remained Nitish's official residence for most of his tenure since November 2005. During this time, he remained at the helm of the government across multiple terms, taking oath as chief minister a record 10 times before handing over charge to his ally.
