Bihar: CM Samrat Choudhary offers prayers at Takht Shri Patna Sahib

Patna (Bihar) [India], April 16 : A day after taking oath as Chief Minister, BJP leader Samrat Choudhary offered prayers at the Takht Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib here on Thursday and resolved to build a strong and prosperous Bihar.

In an X post, he pledged his dedication to strengthening and developing Bihar.

"Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh. After bowing my head at the sacred shrine Takht Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib in the holy abode of Patna, I offered my prayers. The sanctity of this divine site and the grace of the Guru bestowed boundless peace upon my mind, along with renewed energy and inspiration for selfless service to humanity. With prayers to Waheguru for the happiness, prosperity, and good health of all the people of Bihar, I resolved to build a strong and prosperous Bihar," he said.

Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as the first-ever Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister of Bihar on Wednesday.

In a sweeping consolidation of power, the 57-year-old leader has retained the critical Home Ministry and assumed control over 29 departments, signalling an era of centralised leadership as he succeeds Nitish Kumar's 21-year tenure.

By retaining the Home Ministry, Choudhary keeps a firm grip on law and order, police administration, and state security. His portfolio includes Agriculture, Health, Tourism, Art and Culture and Sports, among others.

The oath of office was administered by Governor Lt Gen (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain at Lok Bhawan. Choudhary, who previously served as Deputy CM, takes the helm following Nitish Kumar's transition to the Rajya Sabha.

To balance the coalition, JD(U) veterans Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav were sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers.

Nitish Kumar congratulated the new leader on X, promising "full cooperation and guidance" for the new administration.

New Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary has been assigned 10 departments, among them Water Resources, Minority Welfare, Education, Higher Education, Transport, and Rural Development sectors central to infrastructure and human capital development.

Another Deputy Chief Minister, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, will oversee the eight portfolios, including the key Energy and Finance departments.

The rise of Samrat Choudhary represents the culmination of the BJP's long-term strategy to lead the government in Bihar rather than playing the junior partner. A former member of the JD(U) who joined the BJP in 2017, Choudhary is credited with mobilising grassroots support and bridging caste alliances that proved vital in the 2025 State Assembly elections.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor