BJP bags key posts in Bihar cabinet rejig

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar inducted 17 new ministers into his cabinet on Tuesday ahead of the Budget session of the legislature, heralding a generational shift by making room for several new faces in the coalition between his Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Governor Phagu Chouhan administered the oath of office to the new ministers — nine from the BJP and eight from the JD(U) — in a ceremony at Raj Bhawan. The exercise took the strength of the Nitish Kumar cabinet to 30, with six berths still vacant. The portfolio distribution also showed the impact of induction of 11 new faces in the cabinet, with several key departments going to first-time ministers.

Former Union minister and BJP national spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain, who was recently elected to the Bihar legislative council, was sworn in. BJP also inducted former MP Janak Ram into the cabinet. From the last cabinet, BJP has retained only two ministers this time – Mangal Pandey and Pramod Kumar.

BJP insiders said a gradual generational shift was taking place in the party with more space being made for new and young leaders. “There is always an attempt to maintain broader regional balance, though the number of ministers in the cabinet is limited,” Kumar said.