Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Samrat Choudhary on Wednesday took oath as Bihar’s chief minister, becoming the first leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party to assume the top post in the state.His elevation follows the exit of Nitish Kumar, who stepped down after being nominated to the Rajya Sabha, marking a major political transition in Bihar after more than two decades of Kumar’s dominance.Choudhary, 57, was elected leader of the BJP legislative party on Tuesday, clearing the way for his appointment. “A meeting of the NDA legislative party will be held soon. Samrat Choudhary’s will be formally announced during this meeting, and he will assume the office of chief minister,” Bihar minister Dilip Jaiswal said following the decision.A key organisational figure within the BJP, Choudhary has played a central role in the NDA government and previously held the Home portfolio. He has often represented the BJP alongside Nitish Kumar at major political and official events.Born into a political family, he is the son of veteran leader Shakuni Choudhary. Over the years, his political journey has included stints with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Janata Dal (United) before joining the BJP in 2017, a move that accelerated his rise.Since then, his ascent within the party has been swift. He was appointed Bihar BJP president in 2023 and later served as deputy chief minister in the NDA government formed after the 2025 assembly elections, winning from the Tarapur constituency.Choudhary is also seen as a prominent OBC face for the BJP, representing the Koeri Kushwaha community, which holds considerable electoral influence in the state. His political positioning and outreach were central to the BJP’s strategy in Bihar in recent years.Interestingly, before the BJP and JD(U) renewed their alliance in 2024, Choudhary had been among Nitish Kumar’s sharpest critics. In 2022, he had vowed not to remove his saffron turban until Kumar was removed from power, a pledge he later fulfilled in 2024 after the NDA returned to office.His appointment signals a shift in Bihar’s political landscape, with the BJP taking direct leadership of the state government as it prepares for the next phase of governance and electoral challenges.
