Patna, Feb 27: In a major reshuffle of the Bihar cabinet, portfolios were distributed among seven newly inducted ministers on Thursday, while several existing ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, were assigned fresh responsibilities. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a key ally in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s coalition government, dominated the changes, with most new assignments going to its members.
Following Wednesday’s cabinet expansion, the BJP now holds 21 out of the 36 ministerial positions in the Bihar government. According to an official notification from the cabinet secretariat department, Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha has lost the crucial road construction department, which has now been handed over to Nitin Nabin. In exchange, Nabin will relinquish the law department to Mangal Pandey.
Sinha, however, retains the mines and geology department and has been given the agriculture portfolio, which was previously held by Mangal Pandey. Meanwhile, Pandey continues to oversee the health department.
Among non-BJP ministers, Santosh Kumar Suman, son of Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, retains charge of the minor water resources department, but his previous portfolios of information technology and disaster management have been reassigned to newly inducted ministers Krishna Kumar Mantu and Vijay Kumar Mandal, respectively.
In other key changes, Nitish Mishra will continue as the industries minister, but he has handed over the tourism department to newly appointed minister Raju Kumar Singh. Similarly, Prem Kumar remains in charge of cooperatives, but his former responsibility of environment, forestry, and climate change has been given to Sunil Kumar, another new entrant in the cabinet.
Senior BJP leader Sanjay Saraogi, an experienced MLA making his debut in the state cabinet, has been assigned the crucial revenue and land reforms department. This position was previously held by Dilip Jaiswal, the BJP state president, who resigned just hours before the cabinet expansion, aligning with the party’s "one person, one post"policy.
Former minister Jibesh Kumar, who served between 2020 and 2022 but was left out in the past, has been rewarded with the urban development and housing department, which was previously under Nitin Nabin.
Additionally, cabinet newcomer Moti Lal Prasad has been assigned art, culture, and youth affairs, another portfolio that has been taken away from Deputy CM Sinha.
This cabinet reshuffle is seen as a strategic move ahead of the upcoming political challenges in the state, ensuring that key BJP leaders are positioned in crucial administrative roles.
Following Wednesday’s cabinet expansion, the BJP now holds 21 out of the 36 ministerial positions in the Bihar government. According to an official notification from the cabinet secretariat department, Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha has lost the crucial road construction department, which has now been handed over to Nitin Nabin. In exchange, Nabin will relinquish the law department to Mangal Pandey.
Sinha, however, retains the mines and geology department and has been given the agriculture portfolio, which was previously held by Mangal Pandey. Meanwhile, Pandey continues to oversee the health department.
Among non-BJP ministers, Santosh Kumar Suman, son of Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, retains charge of the minor water resources department, but his previous portfolios of information technology and disaster management have been reassigned to newly inducted ministers Krishna Kumar Mantu and Vijay Kumar Mandal, respectively.
In other key changes, Nitish Mishra will continue as the industries minister, but he has handed over the tourism department to newly appointed minister Raju Kumar Singh. Similarly, Prem Kumar remains in charge of cooperatives, but his former responsibility of environment, forestry, and climate change has been given to Sunil Kumar, another new entrant in the cabinet.
Senior BJP leader Sanjay Saraogi, an experienced MLA making his debut in the state cabinet, has been assigned the crucial revenue and land reforms department. This position was previously held by Dilip Jaiswal, the BJP state president, who resigned just hours before the cabinet expansion, aligning with the party’s "one person, one post"policy.
Former minister Jibesh Kumar, who served between 2020 and 2022 but was left out in the past, has been rewarded with the urban development and housing department, which was previously under Nitin Nabin.
Additionally, cabinet newcomer Moti Lal Prasad has been assigned art, culture, and youth affairs, another portfolio that has been taken away from Deputy CM Sinha.
This cabinet reshuffle is seen as a strategic move ahead of the upcoming political challenges in the state, ensuring that key BJP leaders are positioned in crucial administrative roles.