Nitish Kumar’s era ends in Bihar, BJP’s Samrat Chaudhary sworn in as CM

PATNA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Samrat Chaudhary took oath as Bihar Chief Minister on Wednesday. Chaudhary arrived at the Governor’s residence, Bihar Lok Bhavan, earlier in the morning to be sworn in as CM, succeeding Nitish Kumar, who had served as leader of the state for over a decade before deciding to go to the Rajya Sabha.

Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath of office to Samrat Chaudhary at Lok Bhavan in Patna. He becomes the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister of Bihar following the resignation of Nitish Kumar.

#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: Samrat Choudhary takes oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar

He becomes the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister of Bihar following the resignation of Nitish Kumar. pic.twitter.com/ObDBH2RxJr

— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2026

The 57-year-old has big shoes to fill as he is set to succeed 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. His elevation marks the end of an era dominated by Nitish Kumar’s “Sushasan” (good governance) and the beginning of a new chapter for the NDA in Bihar.

Choudhary’s rise to power is notable, given his humble beginnings in politics. He started his career in the 1990s with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and later joined the BJP in 2018. Born in 1968, Samrat 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.

Before BJP and JD(U) renewed their alliance in 2024, Choudhary was the sharpest critic of Nitish Kumar. In 2022, he had publicly declared he would not remove his saffron turban (popularly known as muretha in Bihar) until Nitish Kumar was removed from power. He was appointed as the BJP’s state president in 2023 and later became the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar in 2024.

After NDA successfully defended its rule in the 2025 assembly election, speculations about Nitish Kumar’s move away from state politics grew stronger and stronger. Samrat Choudhary, with his strong hold within the OBC community, combined with his aggressive political style, was always in the fray to succeed the CM.

Earlier today, before the oath taking, Union Minsiter Chirag Paswan met Chaudhary to wish him all the best for his future tenure.

Paswan wrote on X, “Today, before taking the oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar in Patna, I met with my brother Shri Samrat Chaudhary ji and congratulated him on being elected as the leader of the NDA legislature party, extending my best wishes. I am fully confident that under your leadership, Bihar will reach new heights of development, good governance, and prosperity.”

Chaudhary’s appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the party’s outreach among OBC communities, particularly the Koeri/Kushwaha group. (ANI)