Know all about Bihar’s first BJP CM Samrat Choudhary

Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister, marking the first time the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured the top post in the state.

His appointment follows the resignation of Nitish Kumar, ending his tenure and paving the way for a leadership transition within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Choudhary, who previously served as Deputy Chief Minister, was elected leader of the NDA legislative party ahead of the swearing-in.

The ceremony was held in Patna, where he took oath in the presence of senior leaders and officials, formally assuming charge of the state government.

A senior BJP leader in Bihar, Choudhary has played a key organisational and political role for the party in recent years and is considered an important OBC face for the BJP in Bihar. His rise to the Chief Minister’s post marks a significant shift in the balance of power within the NDA alliance in the state.

Chowdhury began his political career with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and has been active in Bihar politics for over two decades. He was elected as an MLA from Parbatta in 2000 and later shifted to the BJP and rose within the party ranks, eventually becoming a key organisational figure in the state.

He has held several ministerial positions in Bihar, including portfolios such as Urban Development and Housing. In 2022, he was appointed as the president of the BJP’s Bihar unit, a role in which he played a significant part in strengthening the party’s base ahead of key elections.

He also served as Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar before being elevated to the top post. Known for his assertive political style, Choudhary has been a prominent OBC leader within the BJP, which has contributed to his rise in the state’s leadership structure.

He is the son of veteran politician Shakuni Choudhary, and his political trajectory has been closely linked to regional caste dynamics and party organisation in Bihar.

His appointment as Chief Minister marks a significant milestone for the BJP in the state, where the party had not previously held the top post.

The transition comes after Nitish Kumar stepped down from the post of Chief Minister. Kumar, one of Bihar’s longest-serving leaders, has held the position multiple times over the past two decades and has been central to coalition politics in the state.