Portfolios allocated in Bihar cabinet: Nitish picks old guard; Tej Pratap may not be happy with portfolio

PATNA: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has reposed faith in the set of ministers from JD(U) he had in the previous NDA government and retained almost all their departments, except education, which went to ally RJD in power-sharing negotiations with his new deputy, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

Given the promise of providing 10 lakh jobs, Tejashwi’s task is reflected in the key portfolios he will hold — health, road construction, urban development and housing development, and rural works.



Although Nitish retained the home portfolio, taking the education department from JD(U) is being considered a major gain for RJD and a boost for Chandra Shekhar, who will be education minister in place of Vijay Choudhary, a senior JD(U) politician considered close to Nitish. Choudhary, however, has been given the important departments of finance, commerce and parliamentary affairs.

Chandra Shekhar, a lecturer and articulate RJD politician, was disaster management minister in the last Mahagathbandhan government.

Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, was health minister the last time JD(U) and RJD had tied up. But his younger brother, Tejashwi, has kept the important department for himself, which may prompt some murmuring from Tej, who, after taking oath as a minister on Tuesday, was not looking happy with the environment, forest and climate change portfolio.

JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha remains in the Nitish Cabinet with his earlier portfolio, water resources; he survives as the lone Brahmin face in Nitish’s new Cabinet. Jayant Raj, who was rural works minister in the previous NDA government, has been given the minor irrigation department.

Tejashwi’s task is reflected in the key portfolios he will hold — health, road construction, urban development and housing development, and rural works.