After the formation of the new government in Bihar, departments have been divided among the ministers. This is the first time in the 20-year tenure of the Nitish Kumar government that the Chief Minister will not have the Home Department. The responsibility of the state home department will now be with BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary. This means that Samrat Chaudhary is now the Home Minister of Bihar.
By keeping the Home Department with itself, BJP has given an important message of its dominance in the government. With this step of Nitish Kumar, the balance of power between BJP and JDU alliance is again decided. The Home Department has always been a control mechanism for Nitish Kumar, through which he maintained his hold on the administrative structure of the state. Handing over this department to a BJP leader clearly shows the influence and interference of BJP in the alliance.
Nitish Kumar has always had the Home Department. The Home Department is considered the most important department of the Chief Minister, and it has always been with him. This decision is being seen as a sign of a major political reshuffle, indicating a change in the administrative and power structure of the state.
There are speculations about change in the geographical location of Power due to Samrat Chaudhary getting the Home Department. Traditionally, the person in charge of the Home Department has direct control over the security, law and order and intelligence matters of the state. Till now this control was done from the Chief Minister’s house, but now it is believed that the official house of Samrat Chaudhary will become the new center of this important administrative power. This change is not just a transfer of departments, but also shows the growing stature of the Deputy Chief Minister in BJP and his importance in the government.
The Home Minister had said that if he wins the elections, he will get a big responsibility.
Winning the election will bring great responsibility. Nitish Kumar now wants to be free from the burden of daily administration, and also wants to empower a young and effective leader like Samrat Chaudhary. This move points towards a system where the Chief Minister is delegating administrative powers and relying more on coalition partners. Home Minister Amit Shah himself had hinted about this during the election campaign of Samrat Chaudhary by telling the people of his constituency Tarapur that if you make him win, he will get a big responsibility.
