Patna: Six days after the new Bihar government took charge, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has completed the allocation of ministerial portfolios, triggering a major political churn—especially with the dramatic reshuffle in the Home Department. For the first time in two decades, Nitish Kumar has handed over the Home portfolio, a department he traditionally held, to Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary.
The move positions Samrat Chaudhary as the most powerful minister in the cabinet, both in stature and administrative control. Nitish Kumar now retains the General Administration, Cabinet Secretariat, Vigilance, and Elections departments.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha has been given charge of Revenue, Land Reforms, Mines, and Geology, strengthening the BJP’s influence over departments tied to land, minerals, and urban expansion. In terms of cash flow, the BJP now controls several revenue-generating departments, while the JD(U) continues to hold departments with the highest budgetary allocations.
A closer look at the 2025-26 Bihar budget reveals the shifting balance of power, the financial weight of each ministry, and what these changes mean for jobs, development, and political equations.
BJP Leaves Three Key Departments for Allies
According to the Bihar budget, the top five departments in terms of total allocation are Education, Health, Home, Urban Development, and Rural Development.
The JD(U) controls Education, Rural Works, and Rural Development, while the BJP oversees Urban Development, Health, and Home.
In a significant adjustment, the BJP has handed over three of its quota departments—Panchayati Raj, PHED, and Sugarcane Industry—to ally LJP(R). With this, the BJP and JD(U) now hold 20 departments each.
How This Government Differs From the Previous One
The earlier NDA government included BJP, JD(U), and HAM(S). This time, NDA partners also include Chirag Paswan’s LJP(R) and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM.
To accommodate allies, the BJP has surrendered three departments:
– Panchayati Raj was given to RLM,
– PHED was given to LJP(R),
– Sugarcane Industry also went to LJP(R).
In the previous government, all three belonged to the BJP.
JD(U) Retains Control Over Key Social Welfare and High-Budget Ministries
Nitish Kumar has ensured that the JD(U) continues to dominate powerful and socially critical ministries. The JD(U) now holds Education, Home, Energy, Rural Works, and Rural Development—departments that collectively command the highest budgets.
The BJP, meanwhile, controls Health and Urban Development among the major departments.
For the first time since 2005, the BJP will not present the Bihar budget.
Historically, BJP leaders like Sushil Kumar Modi, Tarkishore Prasad, and Samrat Chaudhary have presented the budget a combined 15 times.
Now, with Finance returning to the JD(U), a JD(U) minister will present the 2026-27 Bihar budget.
JD(U) to Oversee Governance; BJP Controls Law and Urban Functions
Despite handing over Home, Nitish Kumar continues to control the core administrative machinery, including General Administration, Monitoring, and Cabinet Secretariat.
The BJP now handles Law and Disaster Management, while both parties share responsibility in jobs-related sectors.
In infrastructure, rural development remains with the JD(U), while the BJP continues with urban development and building construction.
Equal Share in Jobs and Employment
The government’s ambitious promise of creating 10 million jobs is tied to departments such as Education, Health, Rural Development, Housing, Industry, and Urban Development.
Both BJP and JD(U) share these portfolios almost equally, indicating a balanced approach to job creation.
Samrat Chaudhary Commands the Largest Budget
Among the CM and the two deputy CMs, Home Minister Samrat Chaudhary controls the largest budget—₹17,831.21 crore.
In comparison:
• Nitish Kumar’s four departments total ₹3,041.63 crore.
• Vijay Sinha’s departments amount to ₹2,033.45 crore.
This makes Samrat Chaudhary nearly 5.5 times stronger than the CM in terms of ministerial budget and eight times stronger than Vijay Sinha.
Top Five Ministers by Budget
- Sunil Kumar (JDU) — Education and Science & Technology: ₹62,123.87 crore
- Mangal Pandey (BJP) — Health and Law: ₹21,717.52 crore
- Nitin Naveen (BJP) — Road Construction and Urban Development: ₹18,788 crore
- Vijay Chaudhary (JDU) — Water Resources, IPRD, Building Construction, Parliamentary Affairs: ₹14,639 crore
- Bijendra Yadav (JDU) — Finance, Energy, Planning, Commercial Tax, Prohibition: ₹8,603.32 crore
Departmental Distribution
JD(U) controls 20 departments with a total budget of ₹1,38,919.16 crore. These include Finance, Water Resources, Education, Rural Works, Rural Development, Social Welfare, Energy, Minority Welfare, and Transport.
BJP also retains 20 departments with a total budget of ₹81,518.69 crore, including Home, Agriculture, Health, Urban Development, Industry, Environment, Animal Resources, Tourism, Disaster Management, and Mines.
LJP(R) Retains Two Key Departments
LJP(R) has been allocated Sugarcane Industry and PHED, with a combined budget of ₹2,894.36 crore.
HAM(S) and RLM Get One Department Each
The HAM(S) Party controls Minor Water Resources with a budget of ₹1,839 crore.
The RLM gets the Panchayati Raj Department, among the highest-funded ministries, with a budget of ₹11,302.57 crore.
The final division reflects a carefully balanced exercise of political management—where allies have been accommodated, the BJP has gained strategic portfolios, and Nitish Kumar has retained full control over administration and high-budget ministries.
