The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar, led by Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, expanded its cabinet on Thursday with 32 ministers taking oath during a large ceremonial event held at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. The ceremony marked a significant political development in the state, with leaders from multiple NDA allies being inducted into the government. The event drew widespread attention due to its scale and the presence of top national leaders.
The new cabinet reflects a coalition balance within the NDA, with representation from several alliance partners. Of the 32 ministers sworn in, 15 belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 13 to the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), two from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), one from Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and one from Rashtriya Lok Morcha. The inclusion of diverse partners was seen as an effort to maintain political stability and coordination within the ruling alliance.
Among the notable new entrants was Nishant Kumar, son of former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose induction attracted considerable political attention. The ceremony also featured a formal oath-taking followed by a signing process, where each minister was required to sign official documents after being sworn in. Chairs and tables were arranged on the dais in an orderly manner for this procedure, with documents placed according to assigned seating.
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A light-hearted moment occurred during this signing phase when Nishant Kumar mistakenly sat in the chair designated for BJP leader Dilip Jaiswal. As Jaiswal approached to complete his formalities, he found Nishant already seated at his place. The confusion was quickly resolved after Jaiswal politely informed him of the mix-up, following which Nishant shifted to his correct seat. The brief incident drew smiles from those present.
The moment became more noticeable when Nishant reportedly required assistance in identifying the correct sections for signing the documents. Senior leaders, including Dilip Jaiswal and later Leshi Singh, were seen guiding him through the formalities. The interaction added a casual and human touch to an otherwise strictly protocol-driven ceremony, momentarily easing the formal atmosphere on the stage.
The swearing-in event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president J.P. Nadda, and several senior NDA leaders. Chief Ministers from multiple states and Union ministers from Bihar, including Chirag Paswan, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha, were also present, underscoring the political significance of the cabinet expansion.
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