Patna: Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president Nitin Nabin arrived in Patna on Wednesday night ahead of a scheduled cabinet expansion in Bihar, as the state’s new government moves to finalise its ministerial team.
The leaders, accompanied by BJP national general secretary (organisation) B. L. Santhosh, travelled from Patna airport to a private hotel where they are due to meet senior state BJP figures, including chief minister Samrat Choudhary. Party sources indicated that the discussions are expected to finalise the list of ministers who will take oath in the new government.
The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Thursday at 12pm at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, with several senior leaders, including the prime minister Narendra Modi, expected to attend.
At the airport, Choudhary and other senior BJP leaders received Shah, Nabin and Santhosh. Among those present were Bihar assembly speaker Dr Prem Kumar, state BJP president Sanjay Saraogi, MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, and former minister Dr Dilip Kumar Jaiswal.
Shah is expected to stay overnight in Patna and leave on Thursday afternoon after the ceremony.
Preparations at Gandhi Maidan
Preparations at Gandhi Maidan are in their final phase, with officials working to complete arrangements for the high-profile oath-taking event. Choudhary visited the venue on Wednesday to review preparations and issued instructions to administrators. Brief rainfall during the afternoon caused minor disruption but did not significantly slow the work.
Modi’s Visit
The prime minister is scheduled to arrive in Patna at 11am on Thursday. After landing, he is expected to travel by road to Gandhi Maidan, with reports suggesting a possible roadshow passing the state BJP headquarters. It will be his first visit to Bihar since the formation of the new BJP-led government in the state.
The party is preparing for a large turnout, with workers from multiple districts around Patna and NDA constituents expected to attend the ceremony. Senior BJP leaders have described the event as a major public show of strength following the party’s assumption of the chief minister’s post in Bihar for the first time.
Cabinet Composition
According to party insiders, most ministers who served in the previous Nitish Kumar-led cabinet are likely to be retained in the new ministry, with only limited changes. A small number of new entrants may also be inducted, with names including Sangeeta Kumari, Maithili Thakur, Nitish Mishra and Anand Mishra under discussion. The final list is expected late Wednesday night or early Thursday.
From the Janata Dal (United), the party of former chief minister Nitish Kumar, familiar faces are also likely to continue in the cabinet. There is also speculation, unconfirmed by officials, that his son Nishant Kumar could be considered for inclusion.
Seat-sharing within the cabinet is expected to follow an established formula, with two ministers from the LJP (Ram Vilas), and one each from the HAM and RLM.
