With Bihar’s Home Ministry shifting to the BJP, the state’s power balance has tilted sharply. A detailed Qalam Times News Network report on the rise of Samrat Choudhary and the shifting role of Nitish Kumar.
Qalam Times News Network
Patna | 22 November 2025
For the first time in 20 years, Nitish lets go of the Home Ministry
The Home Ministry—arguably Bihar’s most powerful department—has moved out of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s hands after two decades. In the newly allocated cabinet portfolios, this key responsibility now goes to Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Samrat Choudhary.
Across political circles, this is being read as a clear sign: the real control of the NDA government in Bihar is now tilting decisively towards the BJP. Nitish remains the face, but the reins appear to be shifting elsewhere.
Tense negotiations inside NDA before the final decision
Until a day before the oath ceremony, the JD(U) was unwilling to part with the Home Ministry. Several rounds of internal discussions took place, and sources say the disagreement had become quite sharp.
But eventually, Nitish Kumar gave the ministry to the BJP—sending out a message he could no longer avoid: acknowledging the BJP’s surge in Bihar after the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 Assembly elections.
The Home Ministry reappears here because this isn’t just a department—it’s the nerve centre of real authority, and that nerve centre is now in BJP hands.
2024–2025 mandate changed the equation
The recent elections made one thing obvious: the BJP is no longer the junior partner in Bihar. The Chief Minister’s post may still be with JD(U), but the BJP now holds the heavyweight ministries that shape governance—Home, Health, Industry, Road Construction, Revenue.
Naturally, this reduces JD(U)’s administrative footprint.
Who gets what? Full list of portfolios
- Home Ministry – Samrat Choudhary
- Land Reforms, Revenue & Mines – Vijay Kumar Sinha
- Health & Law – Mangal Pandey
- Industry – Dilip Jaiswal
- Road Construction & Urban Development – Nitin Navin
- Agriculture – Ramkripal Yadav
- Labour Resources – Sanjay Tiger
- Tourism, Art, Culture & Youth Affairs – Arun Shankar Prasad
- Animal Husbandry & Fisheries – Surendra Mehta
- Disaster Management – Narayan Prasad
- OBC–EBC Welfare – Ram Nishad
- SC–ST Welfare – Lakhendra Paswan
- IT & Sports – Shreyasi Singh
- Cooperatives & Environment-Forest-Climate Change – Pramod Chandravanshi
- Sugarcane Industry & PHED – Chirag Paswan’s party
- Minor Water Resources – HAM (Santosh Suman)
- Panchayati Raj – Deepak Prakash
Samrat Choudhary emerges stronger than ever
A major face of the Kushwaha community, Samrat Choudhary now commands Bihar’s entire law-and-order machinery.
In the Seemanchal region—Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia and Katihar—the BJP has consistently raised the issue of cross-border infiltration. With the Home Ministry in his hands, Choudhary will now be able to directly act on matters related to SIR, NRC, and border surveillance.
His political stature has clearly taken a sharp upward leap.
Is Nitish Kumar stepping back?
Nitish has kept only General Administration, Cabinet Secretariat and a few light portfolios.
It signals a deliberate shift—he wants to focus on governance, administrative reform and welfare schemes, while leaving politically sensitive areas like security and infiltration to the BJP.
Inside JD(U), however, dissatisfaction is brewing. With no major department left, many in the party are questioning their space in the coalition.
Opposition attacks begin
The opposition was quick to react.Their argument: “After 20 years of controlling the Home Ministry, Nitish couldn’t curb crime. Now he has handed over the most powerful department to the BJP. This is remote-control government.”
Bihar’s political script is clearly being rewritten. Nitish is still the face of the government, yet the driver’s seat is now widely seen as belonging to the BJP.
All eyes now turn to how Samrat Choudhary handles the Home Ministry—especially in the sensitive Seemanchal belt.
And with the 2026 West Bengal polls nearing, the infiltration debate could soon go national again.
Bihar’s power structure has changed colour—Nitish is the chief minister, but the BJP seems to be steering the wheel.
