Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Bihar’s chief minister for an unprecedented tenth time on Thursday, as a new state cabinet featuring three women ministers signalled the NDA’s attempt to consolidate its sweeping electoral mandate, driven in large part by a historic surge in women voters.
The ceremony, held at Patna’s iconic Gandhi Maidan, was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with senior BJP and NDA leaders. Kumar, who heads the Janata Dal (United), took the oath alongside 26 ministers – 14 from the BJP, eight from the JD(U), two from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and one each from the Hindustani Awam Morcha and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
But it was the induction of Shreyasi Singh, Rama Nishad, and Leshi Singh that stood out ,a reflection of Bihar’s shifting political landscape and the increasing influence of women at the ballot box, bolstered by the government’s long-running women-centric welfare programmes.
Shreyasi Singh
Shreyasi Singh brings a rare combination of sporting achievement and political pedigree to Bihar’s traditionally male-dominated political arena. Born in Delhi on 29 August 1991, she is the daughter of former Union minister Digvijay Singh and ex-MP Putul Kumari. Her father’s death in 2010, when she was 19, shaped her early drive towards public service.
Before entering politics, Singh distinguished herself as one of India’s leading sport shooters, excelling in the double trap event. She became the first sportsperson from Bihar to win a Commonwealth Games gold in 2018, adding to her 2014 CWG silver and an Asian Games bronze.
Her political career began in 2020 when she joined the BJP just ahead of the state elections. Contesting from Jamui, she won comfortably and repeated her success in 2025 with an even larger margin of 54,498 votes. Her ascent has been marked by both her sporting legacy and her growing presence within the BJP.
Rama Nishad
Rama Nishad has emerged as a powerful figure representing Bihar’s extremely backward classes (EBCs), though her rise has not been without political turbulence. The wife of former MP Ajay Nishad, she represents the Aurai constituency and has built a reputation around grassroots mobilisation and constituency-focused leadership.
Nishad set a state record by securing the highest number of votes in recent elections, and previously held the distinction of achieving the biggest victory margin across all 11 constituencies in her district in 2020. Ahead of the latest polls, her name featured prominently in political discussions, with some BJP insiders pushing her as a potential deputy chief minister – a move seen as politically significant for EBC representation.
In 2025, she defeated Bhogendra Sahni of the Vikassheel Insaan Party by over 57,000 votes, crossing the one-lakh mark in total votes polled. Her emphatic win secured her entry into the cabinet.
Leshi Singh
A seasoned political figure, Leshi Singh – a six-time MLA from Dhamdaha in Purnia district – brings experience and resilience to the JD(U)’s ranks. Now 51, she first won the seat in 2000 under the Samata Party banner, retaining it again in 2005 before briefly losing it later that year.
She has held Dhamdaha continuously since 2010, defeating the RJD’s Santosh Kumar by over 55,000 votes in the 2025 elections. Her career has been marked not just by electoral durability but by personal upheaval: following the murder of her husband, strongman leader Butan Singh in 2000, she consolidated Dhamdaha into what many now describe as her political stronghold.
Her return to the cabinet underscores the JD(U)’s continued influence within the NDA government.
The NDA’s victory – winning 202 of 243 seats – delivered the BJP the largest tally at 89 seats, followed by the JD(U)’s 85. The LJP(RV) secured 19 seats, HAM took five and the RLM four, shaping a government with broad internal representation.
The swearing-in marks a new chapter in Bihar politics, defined by both continuity in leadership and a growing acknowledgment of women’s political presence across the state.
