Will Nitish Kumar Face the Same Fate as Eknath Shinde? Cabinet Expansion Shakes Up Power Equations in Bihar!

After the Bihar Cabinet Expansion, speculations about a major political shift in the state have intensified. The expansion, which took place today on Maha Shivratri, saw the inclusion of seven new ministers. Interestingly, all seven new ministers belong to the BJP, while JDU legislators were left disappointed as they did not receive any ministerial positions in the Bihar Cabinet Expansion.

This has raised several questions—Did the BJP sideline Chief Minister Nitish Kumar while expanding the cabinet? Is the BJP planning to repeat the Maharashtra political strategy in Bihar? Could Nitish Kumar become the next Eknath Shinde of Bihar? Let’s break down the changed political equations and possible scenarios.

Is BJP Eyeing a Maharashtra-Like Political Shift in Bihar?

There was a time when the BJP strongly supported Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra. Shinde, who led a rebellion, eventually became the Chief Minister. However, after the NDA's recent electoral victory, the situation changed, and Shinde was moved to the Deputy CM position.

Now, after the Bihar Cabinet Expansion, the big question is—Can the same strategy be used in Bihar? At present, this seems unlikely. In Maharashtra, the BJP contested elections without a CM face. However, in Bihar, the BJP had already announced Nitish Kumar as its leader.

That said, politics is unpredictable, and anything can happen. If political equations shift in the near future and the BJP gains a stronger position, the party may not hesitate to push Nitish Kumar aside and take full control of the Bihar government.

BJP’s Dominance in Bihar Cabinet Expansion—What It Means for Nitish Kumar

A key observation from the Bihar Cabinet Expansion is that no JDU MLA took the oath as a minister. The seven newly sworn-in ministers—Sanjay Saraogi, Sunil Kumar, Jivesh Mishra, Raju Singh, Moti Lal Prasad, Krishna Kumar Patel Mantu, and Vijay Mandal—all belong to the BJP. This clearly signals the BJP's increasing dominance over the Bihar government.

Following the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan, political discussions in Patna have intensified. Many are now questioning whether the BJP is overshadowing Nitish Kumar. If this trend continues and the BJP secures a strong number of seats in the Bihar Assembly elections, the party might not hesitate to take full control and sideline Nitish Kumar.