Patna: Bihar’s political landscape is set for another round of changes, with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar indicating that his newly formed government will undergo a cabinet expansion after January 14 (Makar Sankranti). The assurance came during a legislative party meeting on November 19, where he told MLAs not to worry about limited ministerial berths in the first phase.
The Nitish-led NDA government was sworn in at Gandhi Maidan on November 20 with a 26-member cabinet, a steep reduction from the previous 32-member council. Over 21 former ministers were dropped despite the coalition’s sweeping victory with 202 seats.
According to constitutional limits, Bihar can have up to 36 ministers — leaving 10 posts still vacant. Based on previous distribution patterns, the JD(U) alone can add around six more ministers in the next expansion.
Trusted Faces Retained, New Faces Deferred
Senior journalist Indrabhushan Kumar notes that Nitish Kumar has historically relied on loyalists. “This time as well, he has handed key responsibilities to his trusted leaders. With one minister per six MLAs, the JD(U) can still induct six more members,” he said.
BJP Makes the Maximum Changes, Balances Caste Calculus
Political analyst Arun Kumar Pandey says the BJP has executed the most aggressive reshuffle in the new cabinet. “They have recalibrated caste and regional equations while also promoting new leadership. From Shahabad, two new faces have been inducted. Leaders like Shreyasi Singh, Lakhindra Paswan, and Rama Nishad reflect the push toward younger and socially diverse representation.”
Indrabhushan adds that with simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections ahead — and the One Nation One Election model slated for 2029 — the BJP is preparing leadership blocks across zones through strategic portfolio allocation.
According to party insiders, the BJP dropped ministers based on four key criteria: reduced cabinet share, age considerations, caste balance, and performance reviews.
The BJP now holds the largest share in the cabinet with 14 ministers, followed by JD(U) with eight. LJP(R) has one berth, while HAM(S) and RLM also have one each.
Why 21 Former Ministers Were Dropped
A significant number of former ministers did not make it back, with reasons ranging from performance concerns and caste realignment to internal party politics.
From the BJP quota:
• Renu Devi — The senior EBC and women’s leader, once Deputy CM, is believed to have been excluded due to age and performance concerns despite her proximity to Amit Shah.
• Neeraj Singh — Considered non-performing; also removed to avoid excess representation of Rajput leaders.
• Kedar Gupta — Inducted earlier due to caste equations but dropped for poor performance.
• Krishna Kumar Mantu — Saran’s Kurmi representation worked against him in this round after numbers improved elsewhere.
• Jivesh Mishra — Faced allegations of medical-related irregularities; caste restructuring in Mithila contributed to his exit.
• Raju Singh — Did not fit the latest caste alignment; performance issues flagged.
• Dr. Sunil — Nalanda already had two ministers; Kushwaha representation now led by Samrat Chaudhary and Upendra Kushwaha’s son.
• Sanjay Sarawagi — Held the Land Revenue Department but lagged in performance; replaced to rebalance Mithila’s caste equations.
• Santosh Singh — Previously rewarded for his role during the 2024 floor test; replaced now that Shahabad MLAs have increased.
• Janak Ram — Underwhelming performance; being considered for the post of BJP state president.
• Nitish Mishra — A surprise omission despite strong performance as Industry Minister; may be included in the next expansion.
• Vijay Kumar Mandal — Replaced by a new Dhanuk face; performance reportedly unsatisfactory.
• Prem Kumar — Senior-most BJP leader; widely expected to take over as Speaker, hence not included.
• Hari Sahni — Dropped as the party pushes new Sahni leadership; Rama Nishad’s victory helped reshape the equation.
• Krishna Nandan — Replaced to adjust EBC representation.
• Motilal — Was not given a ticket this time.
From the JD(U) quota:
• Maheshwar Hazari — Dropped for defying party line and campaigning for his son who contested on a Congress ticket.
• Sheela Mandal — Considered aligned with the RCP faction; expected to return in the next expansion.
• Ratnesh Sada — Briefly inducted as a replacement for Santosh Suman; removed once Suman rejoined the alliance.
• Jayant Raj — A young Kushwaha leader whose working style reportedly irked senior leadership; may still return.
• Sumit Singh — Lost the Assembly election.
What Comes Next?
With 10 cabinet positions still vacant, both JD(U) and BJP are expected to use the next expansion to fine-tune caste representation, reward performers, and stabilise political equations ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
The next round of appointments after Makar Sankranti will likely determine how the NDA plans to maintain its dominance and manage internal aspirations as Bihar heads into an election-heavy cycle.
