Samrat Choudhary Takes Oath as Bihar’s First BJP Chief Minister
Oath Ceremony in Patna
On Wednesday, Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar, marking a significant milestone as he becomes the first leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to hold the position in the state. The oath of office was administered by Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain at Lok Bhavan in Patna.
The BJP now holds the chief ministerial positions in several major states including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Delhi, with Bihar being the notable exception until Choudhary’s appointment.
Transition of Power
The appointment follows the resignation of Nitish Kumar, who has transitioned to a role as a member of the Rajya Sabha. Kumar thanked the citizens of Bihar and conveyed his support for the new government through a post on social media, stating, “Now the new government will look after the work in Bihar. The new government will have my full cooperation and guidance.” As Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, Kumar’s departure signals the end of an era defined by his governance approach known as “Sushasan” or good governance.
Background of Samrat Choudhary
Samrat Choudhary, aged 57, previously served as the Deputy Chief Minister under Nitish Kumar. He hails from the Koeri, or Kushwaha caste, which is a significant other backward class (OBC) community constituting approximately 6-7 percent of Bihar’s population. The Kushwaha community ranks as the largest among backward castes after the Yadav community.
Reports indicate that Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) party requested the BJP to select a Chief Minister representative of the Kushwaha caste group, which has played a pivotal role in Choudhary’s rise to leadership.
Political Journey
Choudhary was born in 1968 into a politically active family; his father, Shakuni Choudhary, served as a six-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Tarapur constituency, and his mother, Parvati Devi, won the same seat in 1998 as a candidate for the now-defunct Samta Party.
His political career began in 1990, and he has been associated with several political parties over the years. Choudhary transitioned from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by Lalu Prasad Yadav to the Janata Dal (United) party under Nitish Kumar, before finally joining the BJP in 2017.
