Patna: Bihar’s new cabinet under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is notable not just for its political alliances, but also for the prominent role of family-based politics. Of the 26 ministers sworn in alongside CM Nitish, ten have familial political connections, either continuing their father’s legacy or advancing the political influence of their spouses.
The ministers come from a cross-section of the ruling NDA parties, including the Janata Dal (United), Bharatiya Janata Party, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha. While some are first-time appointees, others, including Vijay Choudhary, Ashok Choudhary, Leshi Singh, and Nitin Nabin, are seasoned politicians with multiple terms in government.
Key family-based ministers include:
- Samrat Choudhary – The Deputy Chief Minister hails from a political family. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, served multiple terms as MLA for the Tarapur constituency with the Congress, Samata Party, and RJD, and was a minister in Rabri Devi’s government. Samrat himself also served in the Rabri Devi government.
- Vijay Kumar Choudhary – A senior JD(U) leader, Vijay entered politics after the death of his father, Jagdish Prasad Choudhary, a three-time Congress MLA from Dalsinghsarai. Vijay won a by-election on a Congress ticket before joining the JD(U).
- Ashok Choudhary – Representing the JD(U), Ashok inherited a political legacy from his father, Mahavir Coaudhary, a former Congress minister. Ashok previously served as Bihar Congress president and now has a daughter, Shambhavi, who is an LJP(R) MP.
- Santosh Kumar Suman – Minister from the HAM(S) quota, he is the son of former Bihar Chief Minister and HAM founder Jitan Ram Manjhi. Santosh is the party’s national president, while other family members, including his sister-in-law and wife, are also MLAs.
- Deepak Prakash – Appointed for the first time, he is the son of Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha. His mother, Snehlata, is also an MLA from Sasaram.
- Nitin Nabin – Nabin succeeded his father, Naveen Kishore Prasad Sinha, a four-time BJP MLA from Patna West (renamed Bankipur). He has held this seat since 2008.
- Sunil Kumar – A former IPS officer and JD(U) minister, Kumar is the son of Chandrika Ram, a freedom fighter and former Bihar minister.
- Shreyasi Singh – Commonwealth Games gold medalist Shreyasi, a first-time minister, is the daughter of Digvijay Singh, a former central government minister. Her mother, Putul Devi, later became MP from Banka.
- Rama Nishad – The BJP’s representative, her political lineage comes from her husband, Ajay Nishad, and father-in-law, Captain Jai Narayan Nishad, both of whom served as MPs from Muzaffarpur.
- Leshi Singh – JD(U)’s female leader, she entered politics following the assassination of her husband, Butan Singh, a former Samata Party district president.
