Bihar Cabinet Expansion: Ratnesh Sada confirms call for ministry berth

JD(U) leader Ratnesh Sada confirms getting a call for a Bihar cabinet berth, linking it to the 'NDA's victory in West Bengal'. Upendra Kushwaha termed the expansion a 'standard procedure'. Top NDA leaders are expected to attend the ceremony.

Janata Dal (United) leader Ratnesh Sada on Thursday confirmed that he has "received a call" related to being in the cabinet of the Bihar government, whose expansion is set to take place today in Patna. He further called the cabinet expansion a matter of pride for the BJP-led NDA bloc following victory in West Bengal.

"I have received a call (regarding getting a Cabinet berth). It is a day of pride today, especially because of the BJP-NDA's victory in West Bengal. There cannot be a happier occasion than today when Samrat Choudhary-Nitish Kumar Cabinet expansion is happening," he told ANI.

'Standard Procedure'

Earlier in the day, Rashtriya Lok Morcha MP Upendra Kushwaha on Thursday termed the Bihar cabinet expansion as a "standard procedure", stressing that it was bound to happen as the Chief Minister of the state has changed.

Speaking to reporters, Kushwaha said that the entire state had been curious and waiting for the cabinet expansion. "This was a standard procedure--since there was a change in the Chief Minister, the expansion of the Council of Ministers was bound to happen, and it is taking place now. The entire state of Bihar was waiting for this expansion and curious about who would be included," said Kushwaha.

He further mentioned that the entire government, both in the state and the Centre, is committed towards ensuring and working for the development of Bihar. "Our entire government is dedicated to ensuring Bihar moves forward with strength and development, whether it is the Central Government under the leadership of the Prime Minister or the Bihar Government under the leadership of Samrat Choudhary. We are fully committed in every way, and the newly formed Council of Ministers will work together to accelerate Bihar's progress at a rapid pace," he said.

PM Modi, Amit Shah to Attend

Earlier in the day, Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Sanjay Saraogi said that the Bihar cabinet expansion programme will be held at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and several senior NDA leaders set to attend the event.

Speaking to ANI, Saraogi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Health Minister JP Nadda and several senior NDA leaders will attend the event. "Today, the cabinet expansion programme will be held at Gandhi Maidan. Prime Minister, Home Minister, Defence Minister, Health Minister, party president Nitin Nabin, former CM Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi and others will be present," Saraogi said.

He further said, "The Prime Minister will arrive by road from the airport. A major programme is taking place as the long-awaited cabinet expansion happens."

Paswan on Expansion Timing

Earlier, Union Minister Chirag Paswan also informed on Tuesday that it was decided that the Bihar Cabinet would be expanded once the assembly elections were over. "Under new leadership, the NDA govt has been formed in Bihar. Since the time Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as the CM, the wait was for the Cabinet to take oath. It was decided that the Cabinet would be expanded once the assembly elections were over. I believe the ceremony will take place on May 6,7,8," he told reporters here.

"A grand oath-taking ceremony will also be held in Bengal. Some ministers who were yet to take the oath will be completing the process, as well," he added.

NDA's Previous Election Victory

This comes months after NDA's landslide win in Bihar, where the alliance clinched 202 of the 243 assembly seats. The 2025 verdict delivered the NDA a commanding three-fourths majority, while the Mahagathbandhan managed just 35 seats.

Within the alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 89 seats, and the Janata Dal (United) secured 85. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) won 19, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) bagged five, and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha took four. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)