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Samrat Chaudhary, born on November 16, 1968, in Lakhanpur village, Munger district, Bihar, is an Indian politician serving as the 24th Chief Minister of Bihar since April 15, 2026. He marks a historic milestone as the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader to hold this position, succeeding Nitish Kumar who resigned to contest Rajya Sabha elections.
From a politically influential Koeri-Kushwaha (OBC) family his father Shakuni Chaudhary was a six-time MLA and mother Parvati Devi also served as an MLA Chaudhary entered politics in the 1990s.
Early Career and Party Shifts
Chaudhary began with the Samata Party before joining Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in 1999, becoming Minister of Horticulture under Rabri Devi despite lacking a legislative seat. Elected MLA from Parbatta in 2000 and 2010, he served as opposition chief whip and later joined JD(U), holding the Urban Development portfolio under Jitan Ram Manjhi in 2014.
He switched to BJP in 2017, rising to vice-president in 2018 and state president in 2023 to bolster OBC outreach, particularly among Koeri voters.
Key Roles in BJP
Appointed Panchayati Raj Minister in Nitish Kumar’s 2021 cabinet, Chaudhary improved sanitation staffing and animal disposal systems . In January 2024, after Nitish realigned with NDA, he became Deputy Chief Minister, handling Finance, Home, Health, and more, presenting a record ₹2.79 lakh crore budget in 2024 emphasizing job creation (30,547 posts) and 10.64% growth.
Re-elected from Tarapur in 2025 assembly polls, where BJP emerged largest, he led law enforcement initiatives like anti-Romeo squads, bulldozer actions on encroachments, and ‘Abhay Brigade’ for women’s safety.
Ascension to Chief Minister
Nitish Kumar’s March 2026 resignation paved the way; Chaudhary was elected BJP legislature party leader and sworn in on April 15, 2026, with deputies Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary. His oath signals BJP’s direct control in Bihar, prioritizing transparency, unemployment reduction, and infrastructure amid NDA consolidation.
Chaudhary’s career includes the 1999 “underage minister” dismissal amid age disputes and pending IPC cases (Sections 171F, 188).
He advocates anti-immigrant stances, caste census support for proportional representation, and critiques of Nitish.
As CM, Chaudhary promises community unity and reforms, reshaping Bihar’s politics as BJP’s OBC face ahead of future elections.
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