Samrat Choudhary set to be Bihar’s first BJP CM after Nitish Kumar exits

Patna, Apr 14: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is set to become the state’s first Chief Minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after being unanimously elected leader of the party’s legislature wing, on Tuesday.

The decision was taken soon after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation to Governor Syed Ata Hasnain, paving the way for a leadership transition within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Announcing the development, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, appointed as central observer by the BJP parliamentary board for the legislature party meeting, said, “Samrat Choudhary is unanimously elected as the BJP’s legislature party leader.”

Choudhary is expected to be sworn in tomorrow, though an official confirmation is yet to be issued.

Expressing gratitude to the BJP’s central leadership for entrusting him with the role of legislature party leader in Bihar, he described the position as an opportunity to serve the people of the state.

"For me, this is not merely a position, but an opportunity to serve the people of Bihar and to fulfill their trust and aspirations. I resolve to live up to the expectations of every citizen with complete dedication, commitment, and integrity," he said in a social media post.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and the guidance of our national president Nitin Nabin ji, I will continuously strive to take Bihar to new heights of development, good governance, and prosperity," he wrote.

Choudhary joined the BJP in 2017 after spending around 12 years in the RJD and JD(U).

The BJP, the single largest party in the 243-member Bihar Assembly with 89 MLAs, moved swiftly to elect its leader following Kumar’s exit. Kumar, who heads the Janata Dal (United), recently became a Rajya Sabha MP.

Earlier in the day, the outgoing Chief Minister met Governor Hasnain at Lok Bhavan and formally submitted his resignation after recommending the dissolution of his cabinet, a constitutional prerequisite before stepping down.

In a statement posted on social media, Kumar said he had decided to relinquish the post after completing significant work for the state.

“Now the new government will look after the work in Bihar. The new government will have my full cooperation and guidance,” he said.

Kumar, the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar, was accompanied by Samrat Choudhary, JD(U) national working president Sanjay Jha, and state minister Vijay Choudhary during his visit to the Governor.

State minister Ram Kripal Yadav said Kumar had informed cabinet colleagues about his decision to dissolve the council of ministers during a meeting earlier in the day, describing the moment as “emotional”.

The NDA currently commands a comfortable majority in the assembly, with 202 MLAs. With the BJP now poised to lead the government in Bihar, Choudhary’s elevation marks a significant political shift in the state’s leadership dynamics.

PTI