Nitish Kumar's new cabinet features nearly 30 MLAs, including Tej Pratap, brother of Dy CM Tejashwi

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• Aug 16, 2022 | Poonam Nath

Nearly 30 individuals were sworn in as members of Bihar's new Cabinet under CM Nitish Kumar, including Tej Pratap Yadav of RJD and brother of Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav.

Digital Desk: Tej Pratap Yadav, the head of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and four other legislators were among the approximately 30 legislators who were sworn in as ministers in Nitish Kumar's new Bihar government on Tuesday.

Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, arrived at the Patna Raj Bhavan earlier today in preparation for the swearing-in event.

Leshi Singh, a JDU(U) MLA, announced on Tuesday that she would have a position in the new government in advance of its enlargement.

Today, around 30 ministers from different Mahagathbandhan or Grand Alliance parties, including the Congress, were inducted into the government.

Up to 36 ministers, including the chief minister, may serve in the Bihar cabinet. According to insiders, several ministerial positions would be left open for potential future cabinet growth.

Earlier this month, Nitish Kumar broke away from the BJP and formed a coalition government with the RJD and other parties. On August 10, the Chief Minister and his deputy, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, took the oath of office.

The BJP's central leadership will meet with leaders of the party's Bihar unit here on Tuesday, just days after the JD(U) split with it and formed a new government in the state.

According to sources, they will likely discuss the BJP's future strategy and the strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as well as organizational changes. The meeting will be presided over by BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, and BL Santhosh, general secretary (organization), will also be present.

The Bihar Grand Alliance has a total of 163 members. Its effective strength increased to 164 after Independent MLA Sumit Kumar Singh backed Nitish Kumar. On August 24, the new government is expected to win a majority in the Bihar assembly.

The National Democratic Alliance won 125 seats in Bihar's 2020 Assembly elections, with the BJP winning 74 of them, the Janata Dal (United) of Nitish Kumar 43, the Vikassheel Insaan Party 4, and the Hindustan Awaam Party (Secular) 4. This put the NDA just over the 122-majority threshold required to form a government.

In contrast, the RJD and its allies have won 110 seats. With 75 seats, the RJD was the single-largest party, while Congress received only 19 votes. Left parties won 16 of the 29 seats they contested, with the CPI (ML-Liberation) taking 12 of them. Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM won five seats in the state's Seemanchal region. Four of its MLAs have defected to the RJD.