Samrat Choudhary will take the oath as the new Chief Minister of Bihar today. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at Lok Bhavan in Patna at 11 AM.
Choudhary will be the first BJP leader to assume the top post in the state. Choudhary was elected as the BJP’s leader of the Legislature Party in Bihar on 14 April, after Nitish Kumar stepped down as Bihar CM. Nitish has been elected as a Rajya Sabha member of parliament (MP).
Choudhary will become the 24th chief minister of Bihar. Several National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders are expected to attend the ceremony. Senior BJP figures, including party president Nitin Nabin, are likely to be present. Nabin was an MLA from Bihar before he moved to Rajya Sabha along with Nitish Kumar.
Some reports suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the swearing-in. But there is no official confirmation.
Choudhary’s appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the party’s outreach among OBC communities, particularly the Koeri/Kushwaha group.
The 57-year-old succeeded Nitish Kumar, who was sworn in as CM for a record 10th time in 2025 after the NDA registered a landmark victory in the assembly elections.
Choudhary’s elevation marks the end of an era dominated by Nitish Kumar’s and the beginning of a new chapter for the NDA in Bihar.
Choudhary started his career in the 1990s with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and later joined the BJP in 2018.
Born in 1968, Choudhary comes from a family deeply rooted in politics. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, was a six-time MLA from the Tarapur constituency. His mother, Parvati Devi, won the same seat in 1998 for the now-defunct Samta Party.
Who is Samrat Choudhary?
Samrat Choudhary entered politics in 1990. Like his father, his journey has crossed multiple party lines. He was associated with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Janata Dal (United) before joining the BJP in 2017.
He was elected as Bihar’s Agriculture Minister in 1999 under Rabri Devi’s government. He proved his mettle on the ground when he won the Parbatta Assembly seat in 2000 and reclaimed it again in 2005.
In 2014, Choudhary made a major political move by splitting from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and aligning with the Janata Dal (United). He was appointed as Minister of Urban Development and Housing Department under the Jitan Ram Manjhi-led government.
In 2017, he joined the BJP, and a year laterhe was elevated to state vice president, given his strong hold over the Koeri community’s vote share.
Choudhary expressed his deep gratitude to the party’s central leadership and described his new role as a “sacred opportunity” to serve the state’s people.
He also lauded the role of Nitish Kumar, saying he has taught many things, and that the Viksit Bharat vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the prosperous Bihar vision of Nitish Kumar will make the state prosperous.
I express my heartfelt gratitude to the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party for reposing their trust in me by assigning the responsibility of Leader of the BJP Bihar Legislative Party.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party for reposing their trust in me by assigning the responsibility of Leader of the BJP Bihar Legislative Party. This is not merely a position for me, but a sacred opportunity to serve the people of Bihar, to fulfil their trust and dreams. I pledge to live up to the expectations of one and all with complete dedication, commitment, and integrity,” he said.
(With ANI inputs)
