Bihar cabinet expansion: 31 ministers take oath today

Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, expanded his cabinet on Tuesday by adding a total of 31 new members from the various parties that make up the state's Grand Alliance.

Phagu Chauhan, the governor of Bihar, administered the oath of office to each new minister at the Raj Bhavan in Patna.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) got the biggest chunk of seats in the cabinet with 16 ministerial berths while Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) was given 11 ministerial berths. 

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) got 16 ministerial berths and the Janata Dal-United (JDU) got 11. Two Congress leaders, one from Jitin Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha and an Independent MLA Sumit Kumar Singh also took oath as Bihar ministers today. 

From RJD, Deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav's brother Tej Pratap Yadav, Samir Kumar Mahaseth, Chandrashekhar, Kumar Sarvajeet, Lalit Yadav, Surendra Prasad Yadav, Ramanand Yadav, Jitendra Kumar Rai, Anita Devi and Sudhakar Singh and Alok Mehta were inducted in Bihar cabinet, while from JD(U), MLA Leshi Singh took oath. 

In addition to these, RJD MLAs Anita Devi, Sudhakar Singh, Chandra Shekhar, and Lalit Kumar Yadav took oath as Bihar minister, while JD(U) MLA Sheela Kumari Mandal, and Madan Sahni also took charge of the office. 

Congress legislators Afaque Alam and Murari Lal Gautam were inducted into the cabinet as ministers, while Hindustani Awam Morcha's Santosh Suman was also sworn in. 

Janata Dal (United) on August 9 unanimously decided to snap ties with the BJP and Nitish Kumar's party joined hands with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in a stunning switch of power.

Nitish Kumar, who took oath as Bihar chief minister on August 10 for a record eighth time, is likely to retain the all-important Home portfolio.