Patna, Nov 20 (IANS) Caste balance has once again emerged as a decisive factor in the formation of the new Bihar government, sworn in on Thursday in the historic Gandhi Maidan  Nitish Kumar took oath as Chief Minister for the 10th time, and a total of 26 ministers were inducted into the new cabinet from various NDA constituents -- 14 from the BJP, eight from the JD(U), two from the LJP(RV), and one each from the RLM and HAM. In the previous cabinet, senior BJP leaders Mangal Pandey and Nitish Mishra represented the Brahmin community. However, this time the BJP has reduced the Brahmin quota, retaining only Mangal Pandey. No Brahmin MLA from the JD(U) has been given a ministerial berth, marking a notable shift in the caste arithmetic.

The BJP has given significant importance to the Rajput community, traditionally one of its core support bases. Four ministers -- Sanjay Tiger, Shreyasi Singh, Leshi Singh, and Sanjay Singh -- have been included from this caste group. This marks a strategic attempt to consolidate Rajput support in the state. Two prominent leaders -- Vijay Kumar Sinha and Vijay Chaudhary -- have been inducted from the Bhumihar community, which continues to wield considerable political influence in Bihar.

Nitin Naveen, from the Kayastha community, has been included in the cabinet. He is considered an important BJP face, especially in Patna and other urban regions. OBCs remain the largest social bloc in Bihar politics, and the cabinet reflects this demographic reality. Samrat Choudhary (Kushwaha/Koeri) -- Deputy Chief Minister, Deepak Prakash (Kushwaha), represents Upendra Kushwaha’s political legacy; Ram Kripal Yadav and Vijendra Prasad Yadav represent the Yadav community, traditionally aligned with the RJD; Shravan Kumar (Kurmi), a long-time associate of Nitish Kumar and representative of JD(U)’s core support base; and Pramod Kumar (Chandravanshi/OBC) -- adding further OBC representation.

By including two Yadav ministers, the NDA has attempted to send a calculated message to the community that it seeks broader social inclusion beyond traditional vote banks. The NDA has maintained strong representation for Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), who have played a crucial role in its electoral success. Ministers include Surendra Mehta (Dhanuk), Rama Nishad (Nishad/Mallah), Madan Sahani (Mallah), Lakhendra Kumar Roshan (Paswan), Sunil Kumar (Ravidas), Santosh Kumar Suman (Manjhi community), and Sanjay Kumar (Paswan) in the cabinet of the Nitish Kumar government.

This wide representation indicates the NDA's consistent effort to retain its stronghold among EBCs. By including Mohammad Jama Khan in the cabinet, the NDA has attempted to send a message of inclusivity to the Muslim community. Though symbolic in numbers, the move carries political significance in the current landscape.