Bihar CM Nitish Kumar expands Cabinet, inducts 21 ministers

Patna, March 15

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday expanded his Cabinet, which is less than two months old, by inducting 21 ministers.

The new inductees, including senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Renu Devi, were administered the oath of office by Governor Rajendra Arlekar at a ceremony in the Raj Bhavan.

Other notable persons who were sworn in include Mangal Pandey and Neeraj Kumar Singh ‘Bablu’, both former ministers, belonging to BJP.

Besides, Md Zama Khan, who became the lone Muslim in the Cabinet, and the Chief Minister’s confidant Ashok Chaudhary, who held cabinet berths earlier, were back as ministers.

The fresh induction raises to 30 the total strength of the Cabinet formed after the return of Kumar, who heads the JD(U), to the BJP-led NDA less than two months ago.

Chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ by leaders of the BJP, which has returned to power, reverberated through the Raj Bhavan during the ceremony.