NITISH 10.0: NDA UNVEILS CASTE- BALANCED, REVAMPED CABINET

Nitish Kumar returned for a record 10th term on Thursday as the NDA unveiled a sharply reworked, caste-balanced Bihar cabinet.

- SHIKHA SALARIA NEW DELHI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with newly sworn-in Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, at the swearing-in ceremony of the NDA government, in Patna on Thursday. ANI

With 26 ministers taking oath alongside Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has been sworn in for a record 10th term, the NDA has attempted a broad caste balance in the new Bihar council of ministers. The council comprises eight ministers from the general category, seven from the OBC category (including Nitish), six from EBC communities, five SC ministers and one Muslim minister.

As reported by TDG on Thursday, not all NDA ministers took oath today. At least 10 berths remain vacant and will be filled next year after further consultations between the JD(U) and the BJP.

Nitish Kumar, an OBC leader from the Kurmi community, will be supported by his two deputy chief ministers - Samrat Choudhary of the Kushwaha (OBC) community and Vijay Sinha of the Bhumihar caste. The BJP has retained both its deputy chief ministers.

The council includes five additional OBC ministers: Ram Kripal Yadav, Arun Shankar Prasad, Deepak Prakash (son of RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha), Brijendra Prasad Yadav and Shravan Kumar. Six EBC leaders Dilip Jaiswal, Madan Sahni, Surendra Mehta, Narayan Prasad, Rama Nishad and Dr Pramod Kumar - have also been inducted.

In addition, five SC leaders and one Muslim leader, Mohammad Zama Khan of the JD(U), have taken oath.