Nitish Inducts 7 BJP Ministers In Team To Build Pre-Poll Parity

Of seven new faces, there are 3 from the backward castes, 2 from the extremely backward castes and 2 from the upper castes. They are from diverse areas.

- Arun Kumar

PATNA: The long-expected Nitish Kumar Cabinet expansion took place on Tuesday with the induction of seven new ministers -- all from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan administered the oath of office to the new ministers at a function at the Raj Bhawan. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy CMs, Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha, Chairman of the Legislative Council and a host of dignitaries were present on the occasion.

BJP's Sanjay Saraogi, who is from the Vaishya community, was the first to take oath in Maithili. He has been representing Darbhanga Assembly seat without interruption since 2005, but this is the first time the leader from the Vaishya community will get a berth in the ministry.

Sunil Kumar is from the Kushwaha community and is a four-term MLA from Biharsharief seat. He switched from JD-U to the BJP in 2013. He won the 2015 and 2020 elections on the BJP ticket. He first won in 2005.

Jibesh Kumar, from the Bhumihar caste, is an MLA from Jale Assembly seat in Darbhanga for two consecutive terms and was also a minister in the previous NDA government. He also took oath in Maithili.