BJP’s first Bihar CM: Samrat Choudhary sworn in as chief minister

Bihar’s political landscape witnessed a defining turn on Wednesday as Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as Chief Minister , completing a political journey that began nearly three decades ago under a cloud of controversy and culminated at the state’s highest office. He is now the 24th Chief Minister of Bihar and the first leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to hold the post.

Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) administered the oath of office at Lok Bhavan in Patna in the presence of top NDA leaders, including Union Ministers J. P. Nadda and Chirag Paswan . Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Choudhary, expressing confidence in Bihar’s rapid development under his leadership.

In a significant administrative move, senior leaders Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav have been designated as Deputy Chief Ministers . While they took oath alongside the Chief Minister, Choudhary has retained control of 29 key portfolios , including crucial departments such as Home, Vigilance, Revenue and Land Reforms, Health, Agriculture, Industries, Disaster Management, and Labour Resources , underscoring his strong grip over the new government.

Choudhary’s rise has been anything but smooth. In 1999, he was inducted into the cabinet of Rabri Devi , but was soon removed following allegations of ineligibility due to age criteria . Then Governor Suraj Bhan ordered his dismissal without a recommendation from the government an extraordinary constitutional intervention that nearly derailed his political career at the outset.

However, Choudhary staged a steady comeback. He returned to electoral politics, winning a seat in 2000 as an RJD leader and later becoming chief whip. In 2014, he shifted to the JD(U)-led government under Jitan Ram Manjhi , though he again lost his ministerial berth when Nitish Kumar returned to power.

The defining turn came in 2017 when he joined the BJP. Rising rapidly within the party, he went on to become state president and later Deputy Chief Minister, eventually handling the powerful Home portfolio . Over time, he transformed from a critic of Nitish Kumar into a trusted ally within the NDA framework.

His electoral strength was reaffirmed in Tarapur, a constituency long associated with his father Shakuni Choudhary , where he secured a decisive victory. Backed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah , Choudhary consolidated his position as a key BJP leader in Bihar.

Now at the helm, Choudhary faces the twin challenge of balancing coalition dynamics and accelerating Bihar’s development agenda while countering criticism from opposition figures such as Prashant Kishor. From a controversial political beginning to commanding the state’s top office with significant administrative control, Samrat Choudhary’s journey stands as a story of resilience and political reinvention.