The Janata Dal (United) state unit has outlined its expectations ahead of the proposed cabinet expansion in Bihar, with party president Umesh Kushwaha stating that the party is expecting 16 ministerial positions in the new government.
Political activity within the ruling alliance has intensified ahead of the proposed Bihar Cabinet Expansion 2026, with coalition partners actively negotiating their share in the new cabinet. Janata Dal (United) has sought 16 ministerial berths, adding pressure to the ongoing discussions within the alliance.
Umesh Kushwaha said the party expects 16 seats in the new cabinet at a time when final preparations for the expansion are underway. According to sources, the demand is part of broader negotiations within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over maintaining the balance of power among coalition partners, with each party seeking a larger role in the government.
A major political change took place in Bihar last month after Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister and moved to the Rajya Sabha. Following his resignation, Samrat Choudhary assumed office as the new Chief Minister of the state. The current cabinet remains small, with senior JDU leaders Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad serving as Deputy Chief Ministers. The proposed expansion is aimed at restructuring and balancing the government setup.
Several alliance partners in the ruling NDA are also seeking representation in the cabinet expansion. These include Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Chirag Paswan, Hindustani Awam Morcha led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha led by Upendra Kushwaha.
All alliance partners are closely monitoring the distribution of ministerial positions, making negotiations within the coalition more complex. Under constitutional provisions, Bihar can have a maximum of 30 ministers, which is around 15 percent of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly. The cabinet expansion process will therefore require balancing the demands of all parties within the available positions.
