The induction of seven new ministers, all from the BJP, into Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Cabinet appears to have created uneasiness in the state’s ruling NDA coalition, with a section raising concerns that it has “upset” the power balance ahead of the Assembly elections due in six months. While some leaders of the Nitish-led JD(U) argue that the Cabinet expansion was long pending since the BJP had not filled the Cabinet vacancies in its share for over a year, others in the party pointed out that the BJP’s decision to appoint ministers from the castes considered to be the JD(U)’s support base, did not go down well with the coalition, especially at a time when the allies have started their poll preparations. BJP sources said it was a move to “reinforce” the party’s “superiority” ahead of the seat-sharing discussions and strategy planning. Two ministers belonging to the forward castes, three Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and two Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) were inducted, with this expansion being projected as the BJP’s attempt to strengthen the caste balance. The new ministers are Krishan Vijay Kumar Mandal (Kewat), Moti Lal Prasad (Teli), Jibesh Kumar (Bhumihar), Sanjay Saraogi (Vaishya) and Raju Kumar Singh (Rajput), Kumar Mantoo (Kurmi), and Sunil Kumar (Kushwaha). The induction of the ministers from the Kurmi and Kushwaha communities – considered to be Nitish’s targeted vote bank – has however surprised many in the JD(U). “The decision on the Cabinet expansion was a bit rushed, although the BJP had left its berths vacant for some time. It has left many in the coalition wondering why the BJP, just a few months ahead of the polls, wanted to induct two leaders from the communities that are Nitish Kumar’s strengths,” said a source in the NDA coalition. BJP sources pointed out that the state party unit’s core committee meeting in Surajkund last December had decided that the ministry slots would be filled soon. “But somehow it kept getting delayed,” said a party leader. Seeking to clear the air, a senior JD(U) leader said: “First of all, all these departments were meant for the BJP ministers. The BJP leadership could decide who to appoint as ministers. We cannot insist that it (the BJP) should not pick them from a particular caste. Our Cabinet minister Lalan Singh is a Bhumihar and that is the BJP’s support base. We have had our quota filled since this government came in.” The senior alliance partner BJP has 21 ministers now, followed by the JD(U) with 13, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) with one, and one Independent minister. JD(U) sources however noted that the decision to induct the BJP ministers has now triggered “apprehensions” in the coalition. “Because any attempt from the BJP to dominate the coalition could trigger fears in the party – because even Nitish Kumar does not want to be another Shinde,” said a leader, referring to the Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde, who was dropped as the CM in favour of BJP face Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra after the BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 132 of the state’s 288 seats in the Assembly polls last November. The Cabinet expansion comes against the backdrop of a resurgent BJP in the state. In the 2020 Assembly polls, the party won more seats than the JD(U) – 74 as compared to 43 – for the first time since 2000. BJP leaders have pointed out that its top brass would seek a major share in the seat distribution for the Assembly polls. A JD(U) section fears that the BJP could “sideline” the party by keeping another ally, the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), if both manage to win a significant number of seats. However, Chirag himself has strongly pitched for the NDA coalition to remain intact. “It’s a winning combination and we can win at least 225 seats (of the total 243). The recent bypolls being the example where we won all the four seats, including seats like Belaganj that the NDA had never won in three-and-a-half decades,” he said. While maintaining that the alliance is intact, BJP leaders pointed out that the party has to ensure it is drawing support from all caste groups. A senior BJP leader said the coalition would retain Nitish as its CM candidate in the upcoming polls. “It is clear that Nitish Kumar is the leader of the alliance and he will be its face for the 2025 election. That was the understanding and there is no change in it. In our alliance with the RJD, the CM (Nitish) had announced that Tejashwi Yadav would be the face. It’s not like that now,” said a senior JD(U) leader. “Nitish Kumar will be the CM after the NDA wins the elections. How long he will have to continue is a call he has to take.” The JD(U) leader also claimed that the JD(U) would have the upper hand in the poll campaign. “We fought the Lok Sabha elections together and performed well. It was Modi ji’s election, and this is going to be Nitish Kumar’s election,” he said. The BJP and the JD(U) had each won 12 seats out of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 polls. Arguing that Lalu Prasad’s RJD and his “jungle raj record” remain the main election issues, the JD(U) leader said Kumar continues to be “the main anti-Lalu face” in the state. While the NDA enjoys the support of the forward castes, non-Yadav OBCs, Kurmis and Kushwahas, a major chunk of Dalits, Yadavs, Muslims back the Opposition INDIA bloc in the state, he said. The idea of a double-engine government – which the BJP says has worked in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi in the recent Assembly polls – has also started “attracting” voters in Bihar, he added.
