Patna, April 14: The Bharatiya Janata Party announced Tuesday that Samrat Choudhary will serve as the next Chief Minister of Bihar, marking the first time a member of the party has held the state’s top office. Choudhary, who currently serves as the Deputy Chief Minister, is expected to be sworn in during a formal ceremony on April 15.
The transition follows the resignation of long-time leader Nitish Kumar. Choudhary’s appointment brings a figure with a deep political pedigree to the forefront of the state administration. As a prominent face of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), he has been a central strategist in the BJP’s efforts to expand its organizational reach across Bihar’s complex electoral landscape.
“Samrat Choudhary will take over the reins of Bihar from Nitish Kumar,” the party stated following the NDA legislature meeting in Patna. Officials noted that his selection reflects a commitment to the mandate received by the alliance.
Choudhary’s political career began in 1999 with the Rashtriya Janata Dal, where he quickly ascended to a ministerial position in the Rabri Devi cabinet by the year 2000. He later moved to the Janata Dal (United) in 2014, serving under Jitan Ram Manjhi, before joining the BJP in 2017. Since joining the saffron party, his rise has been rapid, serving as the state unit president in 2023 before his elevation to the deputy chief minister’s post earlier this year.
The incoming Chief Minister inherits a strong family legacy in the Tarapur and Khagaria regions. His father, Shakuni Chaudhary, was a six-time legislator, and his mother, Parvati Devi, also served as an MLA. Despite his administrative experience, opposition figures have previously raised questions regarding his election affidavits, though party supporters maintained that his grassroots base remains secure as he prepares to lead the new government.
