Patna (Bihar)

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday said that the new Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary will fulfil any shortfalls left in Bihar and drive it towards development.

"The kind of government they (Nitish Kumar) ran for 20 years, we believe that if there was any shortfall, Samrat Choudhary will fulfil it and take Bihar forward," he said.

He expressed gratitude towards Nitish Kumar, crediting him for his political success.

"During the meeting of the legislative party, I remarked that I possess two eyes: from one, tears of joy are flowing, while from the other, tears of sorrow. My sorrow stems from the fact that whatever I am today, the recognition I have attained is entirely due to Nitish Kumar. In 2014, he appointed a Dalit individual as the Chief Minister; consequently, today I have a name across India, and people know who I am," he said.

Bihar's new Deputy Chief Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said, "We will move forward on the basis of the development model of Nitish Kumar in Bihar and the patronage of Prime Minister Modi."

Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi praised Nitish Kumar, saying he established good governance and stressed that Samrat Choudhary will accelerate it.

"Former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had drawn the line of development, established good governance, and Samrat Chaudhary will take that forward at double the speed," he said.

Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Samrat Choudhary took an oath as Bihar Chief Minister.

Chaudhary arrived at the Governor's residence, Bihar Lok Bhavan, earlier in the morning to be sworn in as CM, succeeding Nitish Kumar, who had served as leader of the state for over a decade before deciding to go to the Rajya Sabha.

Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath of office to Samrat Choudhary at Lok Bhavan in Patna. He becomes the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister of Bihar following the resignation of Nitish Kumar.

The 57-year-old faces a significant challenge as he prepares to succeed Nitish Kumar, who was sworn in as Chief Minister for a record 10th time in 2025 following the NDA's historic victory in the assembly elections.

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His elevation marks the end of an era dominated by Nitish Kumar's "Sushasan" (good governance) and the beginning of a new chapter for the NDA in Bihar.

Choudhary's rise to power is notable, given his humble beginnings in politics. He started his career in the 1990s with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and later joined the BJP in 2018.