Who is Samrat Choudhary, Bihar’s first BJP CM?

It’s official. The BJP’s Samrat Choudhary has been named as the next Chief Minister of Bihar, following the resignation of Nitish Kumar.

Nitish stepped down after dissolving his cabinet, paving the way for the BJP — now the single largest party in the 243-member Assembly after the previous assembly polls — to get its first-ever chief-minister in the state.  The BJP holds 89 seats, ahead of the JD(U)’s 85.

Choudhary was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP legislative party in Bihar today. Choudhary wrote on X, "This is not merely a position for me, but a sacred opportunity to serve the people of Bihar, to fulfil their trust and dreams. I pledge to live up to the expectations of one and all with complete dedication, commitment, and integrity."

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But who is Choudhary? What do we know about him?

Let's take a closer look:

Who is Samrat Choudhary?

Choudhary, 57, is a senior BJP leader and currently serves as Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister.

As per NDTV, Choudhary was born on November 16, 1968, in Munger district. He hails from Lakhanpur village near Tarapur. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, was a six-time MLA from the Tarapur constituency. Shakuni was elected first as an Independent, later as a candidate of the Congress, then the Samata Party, and finally the RJD, as per Indian Express.

His mother, Parvati Devi, won the same seat in 1998 for the now-defunct Samta Party. Choudhary won the seat in the 2025 Assembly polls. He took the political plunge in 1990 and served as agriculture minister in the Rabri Devi Bihar government in 1999.

Choudhary won the Parbatta Assembly seat in 2000 and 2010. In 2010, when the BJP was in the Opposition, Choudhary served as Chief Whip of the RJD. However, Choudhary defected to the JD(U) after falling out with Lalu Prasad in 2014.  He also was responsible for 13 RJD MLAs defecting to the JD(U). He served as Minister of Urban Development and Housing in the short-lived Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Bihar government in 2014.

Choudhary joined the BJP in 2018. He had a meteoric rise within the party -- from Vice President of the state unit to Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, and then state president in 2023. He also headed up the BJP's Bihar unit from March 2023 to July 2024. He held various portfolios in the state including sports, finance, panchayat raj, and urban development & housing minister.

Why was he chosen?

A prominent OBC face from the Kushwaha community — one of the largest backward caste groups in the state — he has long been seen as a key player in the BJP’s Bihar strategy. As per Indian Express, Choudhary’s rapid rise within the party shows BJP's focus on  firming up the OBC vote bank.

According to The Times of India, Choudhary has adopted a more assertive leadership approach compared to Nitish. As per Indian Express, Choudhary’s elevation to chief minister comes months after he was allocated the Home portfolio after the NDA’s performance in the Bihar Assembly polls. In retrospect, this was a sign of things to come.

Choudhary is on his second stint as Deputy CM, underlining his administrative experience and political weight within the party. His positioning in that role alongside Vijay Sinha was seen as an attempt  to balance the power equation within the NDA and provide a counterweight to Nitish’s influence among the OBCs, as per Indian Express.

Sources told NDTV that Nitish himself had backed Choudhary's candidature and that the JD(U) has requested the BJP to choose a Chief Minister from this caste.

Nitish’s goodbye

Most suspected that it was only a matter of time before Nitish would step down as the Chief Minister of Bihar. This is because he was elected to the Rajya Sabha and, under the rules, he cannot simultaneously remain a member of both Parliament and the state legislature.

It was reported that Nitish has been vacating his official residence at 7, Circular Road. According to Hindustan Times, Nitish arrived at the cabinet meeting flanked by Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Chaudhary.

Nitish has said the new government in Bihar will receive “my full cooperation and guidance”. He added that “Bihar will advance a great deal” under the new government and that a “lot of good work will be done”.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, right, greets his son Nishant Kumar as he joins the Janata Dal (United) JD(U) in Patna, Bihar. PTI

Bihar Agriculture Minister Ram Kripal Yadav told PTI he was “fortunate” to have served as a member of Nitish’s cabinet.

“We have worked with Nitish ji's leadership since the days of Lok Dal. I was fortunate to have worked as a member of his cabinet as well. What Nitish Kumar ji has done for the benefit of Bihar cannot be forgotten.”

State minister Ram Kripal Yadav on Tuesday described the cabinet meeting thus: “It was a very emotional moment for all of us. He informed us about his decision. The CM recommended dissolution of the cabinet during the meeting.”

Jha has said Nitish remains committed to the development of Bihar. “As far as Bihar is concerned, we contested the 2025–30 election mandate under Nitish Kumar's leadership with the support of the NDA. The Prime Minister campaigned regularly, and the new government will continue Nitish ji's policies and work under his guidance. Even if he is not Chief Minister, his focus remains on Bihar, travelling to Delhi only for Parliament sessions,” he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

FAQs

1. Who is Samrat Choudhary?

Samrat Choudhary is a senior BJP leader and the current Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar. A prominent OBC face from the Kushwaha community, he is considered a key strategist for the party in the state.

2. Why was Samrat Choudhary picked as Bihar Chief Minister?

He was chosen due to his administrative experience, caste representation, and influence within the BJP. His leadership is also believed to align with the party’s wider political strategy in Bihar.

3. What role has Samrat Choudhary played in Bihar politics so far?

Choudhary has held multiple important positions, including serving twice as Deputy Chief Minister.

With inputs from agencies.