Bihar’s first BJP chief minister: Samrat Chaudhry sworn in

New Delhi: Samrat Chaudhary was sworn in as the chief minister of Bihar on Wednesday, becoming the first BJP leader to hold the top post in the state.His elevation follows the exit of Nitish Kumar, who stepped down after being nominated to the Lok Sabha, marking a major political transition in Bihar after more than two decades of Kumar’s rule.

Chaudhry, 57, was elected leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s legislative party on Tuesday, clearing the way for his appointment. Bihar Minister Dilip Jaiswal said after the decision: “The meeting of the NDA legislative party will be held soon. Samrat Choudhary will be officially announced as the chief minister in this meeting.”Chaudhry is an important organizational figure within the BJP and plays a central role in the NDA government, having previously served as home minister. He often represents the BJP at major political and official events along with Nitish Kumar.Born into a political family, he is the son of veteran leader Shakuni Chaudhry. His political journey over the years included stints in the Janata Party and the United People’s Party before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2017, a move that hastened his rise.Since then, he has risen rapidly through the ranks of the party. He was appointed as Bihar BJP president in 2023 and later served as deputy chief minister in the NDA government formed after the 2025 assembly elections, which he won from Tarapur constituency.Chaudhry is also seen as an important face of the BJP’s OBC, representing the Koeri Kushwaha community, which has considerable electoral clout in the state. His political positioning and outreach have been central to the BJP’s strategy in Bihar in recent years.Interestingly, Chaudhry had been one of Nitish Kumar’s sharpest critics before the BJP and JD(U) renewed their alliance in 2024. In 2022, he vowed not to remove the saffron turban until Kumar stepped down, a promise he later fulfilled in 2024 after the NDA returned to power.His appointment marks a shift in the political landscape of Bihar, with the BJP taking direct leadership of the state government in preparation for the next phase of governance and electoral challenges.