Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Thursday visited the Gandak River and conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas along the state’s border with Nepal as authorities remained on high alert following the devastating flash floods in the neighbouring country. The Chief Minister reviewed preparedness and precautionary measures in areas including Bagaha, Valmiki Nagar, Bettiah and Motihari. 

The survey came amid concerns over the impact of floodwaters entering the Gandak river system from Nepal. Bihar authorities have been closely monitoring river levels and the Valmikinagar Gandak Barrage, while disaster-response arrangements have been strengthened in vulnerable districts. 

CM Reviews Border Areas

During the aerial survey, Choudhary assessed the situation in the border areas of Bagaha, Valmiki Nagar, Bettiah and Motihari. He also reviewed administrative preparations aimed at dealing with any potential impact of the Nepal floods.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister said the review covered precautionary measures, safety arrangements and relief and rescue preparedness. He directed officials to take all necessary steps with complete readiness, stressing that the safety of people in flood-prone areas remained the priority. 

Gandak Water Flow Monitored

The Gandak has become a key focus for Bihar after floodwaters from Nepal entered the river system and reached the Gandak Barrage at Valmikinagar in West Champaran.

Authorities opened all 36 gates of the barrage to manage the increased inflow. The discharge reached around 1.50 lakh cusecs at 11 pm on Wednesday before beginning to decline on Thursday morning. The Water Resources Department said the discharge had fallen to around 1.04 lakh cusecs by Thursday morning. 

The receding trend offered some relief to residents in low-lying parts of northern Bihar, although officials continued to monitor the river system closely.

Districts Remain on Alert

The Nepal disaster prompted Bihar to strengthen its preparedness across districts connected to the Gandak and other river systems. High alerts were issued in several northern districts, including West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Madhubani, Supaul and Khagaria. 

The administration has been instructed to maintain vigilance and ensure that emergency response teams and essential supplies are available if conditions deteriorate.

Earlier, Choudhary had directed officials to maintain round-the-clock monitoring of vulnerable areas and ensure continuous vigilance along dams and embankments as the situation in Nepal developed. 

NDRF, SDRF Prepared

Disaster-response agencies have also been kept ready as a precaution. NDRF teams have been deployed in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, while state agencies are monitoring vulnerable locations and river levels.

The Centre has also been coordinating with the two states. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with the Chief Ministers of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and assured them of central assistance in dealing with any downstream impact from the Nepal floods. 

Nepal Disaster Raises Concern

The precautions in Bihar follow a catastrophic flash flood in Nepal that caused extensive destruction near the Nepal-Tibet border. The disaster affected the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems, damaging settlements, bridges and infrastructure and leaving hundreds of people dead or missing. 

The river connection between Nepal and northern India makes developments upstream important for Bihar. The Narayani River in Nepal becomes the Gandak after entering India and flows through parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, making sudden changes in upstream water levels a significant concern during extreme weather events. 

For Bihar, the immediate focus remains on monitoring the Gandak, protecting communities in vulnerable areas and ensuring that relief and rescue resources can be deployed quickly if required. While the river showed signs of receding on Thursday, authorities continued to maintain heightened vigilance along the Nepal border.

Treating the Bankipur by-election as a high-stakes contest, the BJP has deployed its top leadership to oversee campaign activities. BJP National President Nitin Naveen arrived in Patna on Saturday, where he was welcomed at the airport by Bihar BJP President Sanjay Sarawagi.

Following his arrival, Naveen held meetings with senior party leaders to review election preparedness, booth management, voter outreach, and campaign strategy. Discussions also focused on highlighting the NDA government's achievements during its initial months in office and effectively communicating them to voters.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to Address Mega Rally

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is scheduled to address a major public rally at Mandiri Nala (Golghar Mandal) in the Bankipur Assembly constituency on Saturday evening. The rally is expected to be a key event in the BJP's campaign.

During his address, the Chief Minister will highlight the state government's development initiatives, welfare schemes, and the NDA's governance agenda while appealing to voters to support the NDA candidate in the by-election.

Rituraj Sinha Leads Extensive Public Outreach

BJP National Secretary Rituraj Sinha has also intensified his campaign across the constituency. Throughout the day, he is participating in multiple public engagements, interacting with various sections of society and promoting the BJP's policies and development agenda.

His schedule includes public meetings at Annapurna Bhavan, an interaction with intellectuals at Rotary Bhavan, a women's outreach program at Pulse Palace in Gautam Nagar, a public meeting in Kachhi Talab, and discussions with community leaders in Mithapur.

Prashant Kishor Focuses on Direct Voter Interaction

On the other side, Jan Suraj founder and Bankipur candidate Prashant Kishor has adopted a grassroots campaign strategy centered on direct engagement rather than large political rallies.

He is conducting tea meetings, neighborhood gatherings, and ward-level interactions throughout the constituency, using these platforms to connect personally with voters and discuss local issues.

Jan Suraj is contesting the by-election under the slogan "Beginning of Change", with the party emphasizing education, employment, corruption, and civic issues as its primary campaign themes. Party workers are also promoting the election symbol, "School Bag," through door-to-door outreach.

Booth-Level Mobilization in Final Phase

As campaigning enters its final stage, all major political parties have activated their booth-level organizations. While the BJP is focusing on structured booth management and extensive door-to-door campaigns, Jan Suraj is relying on small community meetings and direct voter engagement.

With senior leaders actively campaigning and workers reaching out across every ward, the Bankipur Assembly constituency is witnessing an intense political battle as parties make their final push before polling.

The Bihar Assembly witnessed a stormy session on Wednesday as the Opposition protested over the drought-like situation in several districts, while the ruling NDA defended the government's preparedness. The session also saw sharp political exchanges after a BJP MLA mocked Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav for his absence from the House. Amid the heated debate, the Assembly passed the Bihar Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026, paving the way for changes in the state's higher education framework.

CM Assures Relief for Farmers

The issue of inadequate rainfall and its impact on agriculture dominated the proceedings. During Question Hour, even ruling alliance legislators raised concerns over irregular electricity supply for irrigation, stating that farmers in several districts were struggling to water their crops due to inconsistent power availability.

Responding to the concerns, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said the government had taken note of the rainfall deficit in many parts of Bihar and was closely monitoring the situation.

He informed the House that efforts were being made to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply for irrigation from 6 am to 7 pm, enabling farmers to irrigate their fields without disruption.

The Chief Minister further directed district magistrates to assess drought conditions and submit detailed reports. Based on these reports, the government will initiate relief measures, including diesel subsidies for farmers in areas officially declared drought-affected.

He assured legislators that the state government would act promptly to protect crops and minimise farmers' losses if rainfall remained below normal.

Political Barbs Over Tejashwi's Absence

The Assembly also witnessed political sparring after BJP MLA Baidyanath Prasad questioned the absence of Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav.

In a sarcastic remark, the BJP legislator said Tejashwi appeared to be "mediating the US-Iran conflict" instead of attending the Assembly and contributing to discussions on Bihar's development.

The Opposition objected to the remarks, but the exchange added to the already charged atmosphere inside the House.

Private Universities Bill Gets Assembly Approval

The House later passed the Bihar Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026 after a debate involving both the ruling alliance and Opposition members.

Higher Education Minister Sanjay Singh Tiger introduced the Bill, saying it was aimed at strengthening higher education opportunities within Bihar.

AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman expressed concern that the amendment should not favour private institutions at the expense of economically weaker students. RJD MLA Rahul Sharma also argued that student welfare must remain the primary focus while expanding private universities.

Replying to the debate, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said thousands of students from Bihar were currently studying in private universities outside the state, including institutions such as Amity University and Lovely Professional University.

He said the amendment was intended to create more quality higher education opportunities within Bihar so that students would not have to migrate to other states.

Opposition Protests Over Panchayat Tax

The Opposition also staged protests over the issue of proposed tax collection by panchayats. Left legislators argued that additional taxes would place an unnecessary burden on poor and rural families.

Opposition parties demanded a discussion through an adjournment motion, but after the proposal was rejected, MLAs entered the well of the House and raised slogans.

Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar repeatedly appealed to members to return to their seats. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said the House would have an opportunity to debate the matter once the relevant legislation was introduced and invited the Opposition to bring amendments during discussions.

Debate Over Gambling Law Continues

The discussion also referred to the Bihar Gambling Prohibition Bill, 2026, which had been passed a day earlier.

The new legislation seeks to strengthen action against both traditional and online gambling by expanding legal provisions to include organisers, financiers and digital operators.

The law provides for freezing financial transactions linked to online gambling and imposes stricter penalties, including imprisonment for repeat offenders.

Council Witnesses Heated Exchanges

In the Bihar Legislative Council, RJD MLC Sunil Singh raised concerns over increasing drug abuse and criticised the government's handling of narcotics.

His remarks mentioning temples and religious places triggered protests from BJP members, leading to a heated verbal exchange inside the Council.

Later in the day, BJP MLC Anamika Singh and RJD MLC Munni Rajak were involved in a heated argument outside Opposition leader Rabri Devi's chamber.

With drought concerns, political confrontation and key legislative business dominating proceedings, the Monsoon Session continues to witness intense debates over governance, agriculture and public policy in Bihar.

The second day of the Bihar Legislature's Monsoon Session witnessed intense political exchanges, with the Opposition protesting against the proposed panchayat tax collection in the Assembly, while the issue of drug abuse sparked a heated debate in the Legislative Council. The government also made key announcements on teacher recruitment, school infrastructure, and industrial development during the proceedings.

The Opposition created a ruckus in the Assembly after raising concerns that the proposed panchayat tax would impose an additional financial burden on poor families. Left legislators demanded a discussion on the proposed tax and the contingency fund, submitting an adjournment motion that was later rejected by the Speaker.

Following the rejection, Opposition MLAs entered the well of the House and staged a protest. Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar urged members to return to their seats, while Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said the matter would be discussed when the relevant bill is introduced. He also invited the Opposition to bring amendment proposals during the legislative process, after which the protesting legislators returned to their seats.

Drug Abuse Issue Sparks Heated Debate

In the Legislative Council, RJD MLC Sunil Singh raised concerns over the increasing use of narcotic substances in Bihar. He alleged that marijuana and charas consumption had become common and claimed that drug use was visible even near religious places.

His remarks triggered strong objections from BJP members after he referred to temples and monasteries. A verbal exchange followed, adding to the tense atmosphere inside the House.

Sunil Singh also accused the state government of collecting higher taxes on petrol and diesel, alleging that Bihar was earning an additional ₹200 crore from fuel taxation.

Later in the day, BJP MLC Anamika Singh and RJD MLC Munni Rajak were involved in a heated argument outside the chamber of Leader of Opposition Rabri Devi over the same issue.

JD(U) MLA Questions Teacher Shortage

The government also faced criticism from within the ruling alliance. JD(U) MLA Shyam Rajak questioned the Education Department over the shortage of teachers in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar residential schools.

He claimed that nearly 62% of teaching positions remained vacant, raising concerns about the quality of education in these institutions.

Responding to the issue, Education Minister Lakhendra Kumar informed the House that 91 schools are currently operational with 1,290 teachers working against 2,406 sanctioned posts. He added that vacancies have been forwarded to the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) under the TRE-4 recruitment process.

When Rajak sought a clear timeline for appointments, the minister assured that recruitment would begin once BPSC completes the selection process.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary later intervened and directed the Education Department to ensure that teachers are appointed in the residential schools within one month.

Government Announces Major Education Initiatives

During Question Hour, the issue of inadequate school infrastructure was also discussed. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced that schools without land would be provided suitable land within the next six months.

Education Minister Lakhendra Kumar further announced that the state government plans to recruit one lakh teachers over the next five years, while proposals for the TRE-4 recruitment drive would be sent to the BPSC by the end of July.

Other Key Announcements

The government also announced plans to establish three new sugar mills, including in Gopalganj and Madhubani, to boost the state's agro-based economy.

Meanwhile, Opposition legislators staged demonstrations outside the Assembly before the session began, accusing the government of rising corruption, deteriorating law and order, and mishandling issues such as examination paper leaks.

With education, taxation, law and order, and governance dominating discussions, the second day of the Monsoon Session reflected both political confrontation and significant policy announcements that are expected to shape Bihar's administrative agenda in the coming months.

The Chief Minister, who was visiting Begusarai for the first time after assuming office, inaugurated the schools through video conferencing and described the initiative as a significant step towards transforming Bihar’s education landscape. The schools, officially launched under the Saraswati Vidya Niketan Adarsh Vidyalaya programme, are expected to provide modern learning facilities to students studying in Classes 9 to 12.

Addressing a public gathering, Choudhary said the day marked a historic moment for Bihar and emphasized that the state’s future would be shaped through education rather than infrastructure alone.

“People often think inaugurations are about buildings and infrastructure. I believe this is the inauguration of Bihar’s future,” he said while highlighting the role of education in social and economic transformation.

The newly launched model schools have been equipped with smart classrooms, e-libraries and other digital learning tools. According to the government, experienced teachers will be deployed in these institutions and students will also receive preparation support for competitive examinations such as NEET and JEE.

The Chief Minister said nearly four lakh students are expected to benefit from the project. He also announced that the FILO learning application would be integrated into the system, allowing students to access online learning support even during late-night hours.

The declaration regarding a university named after Ramdhari Singh Dinkar received a positive response from local residents and political leaders. Dinkar, one of India’s most celebrated Hindi poets and writers, hailed from Bihar and continues to hold immense cultural significance in the state.

Union Minister and Begusarai MP Giriraj Singh, who was present at the programme, welcomed the announcement and said the people of the region had long demanded a university in the poet’s name. He thanked the state government for choosing Begusarai as the launch venue for the statewide education initiative.

The event also featured a public interaction programme and inspection of educational facilities. Choudhary visited classrooms, interacted with students and reviewed projects displayed by them. He spent time observing educational exhibits and discussing academic aspirations with students.

Photographs from the event showed the Chief Minister interacting with students inside smart classrooms and visiting exhibition stalls set up by schools.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Choudhary described the education reforms as part of a larger development journey that began during previous NDA governments in Bihar. He said the state was entering a second phase of educational transformation aimed at improving quality and accessibility.

“History shows that when Begusarai progresses, Bihar progresses. Major reforms in education have already laid a strong foundation, and now the focus is on expanding quality learning opportunities,” he said.

The state government has instructed district administrations to closely monitor the functioning of the model schools and ensure that no essential infrastructure work remains incomplete. Education Department officials have also been directed to personally review implementation at the district level.

Officials said the project is designed to bridge the gap between government and private schooling by offering advanced learning facilities to students in both urban and rural areas.

The Chief Minister also reiterated the government’s broader development goals. He claimed that within the next two years, efforts would be made to help one crore women in Bihar achieve financial self-reliance and become “Lakhpati Didis.”

The Begusarai event came just days after the state government launched degree colleges in 211 blocks across Bihar. The administration has projected education as a key pillar of its governance agenda, alongside employment generation and infrastructure development.

Security arrangements remained extensive throughout the programme, with personnel deployed across key venues and routes ahead of the Chief Minister’s visit.

Samrat Choudhary Takes Oath as Bihar’s 24th Chief Minister

BJP-Led Government Begins

Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as Bihar’s 24th Chief Minister on Tuesday, ending Nitish Kumar’s two-decade-long tenure. The oath ceremony took place at 11 AM at the German Hangar of Lok Bhawan. JDU leaders Vijay Choudhary and Vijendra Prasad Yadav also took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers. This marks the first completely BJP-led government in the state.

Nitish Kumar Steps Down

The political transition followed Nitish Kumar’s resignation on Monday after he became a Rajya Sabha member. Mr Kumar had held the Chief Minister’s post for 20 years. Shortly after resigning, he posted on X, stating the new government would handle future work while assuring his full support for continued development.

Leadership Elected Unanimously

The NDA legislative party elected Samrat Choudhary as its leader on Tuesday. In a significant show of continuity, Nitish Kumar proposed Mr Choudhary’s name for the top post. Mr Kumar garlanded him and asked legislators to cheer for the new leader. Sources indicated the transition was smooth and consensus-driven.

Samrat Touches Nitish’s Feet

In a moment that captured political attention, Samrat Choudhary touched Nitish Kumar’s feet at the NDA meeting to seek blessings. “I have learned politics from Nitish ji. I have worked with him. His vision of a prosperous Bihar needs to be taken further ahead,” Mr Choudhary said after being elected.

‘Learned Governance From Nitish Ji’

Speaking to reporters after the oath, the new Chief Minister acknowledged his predecessor’s influence. “Nitish Kumar ji has taught me a lot. I have learned to run the government by staying with him,” Samrat Choudhary said. He added that the BJP gave him an opportunity to work after understanding PM Modi’s vision, and he has been continuously active since the 2015 elections.

Chirag Paswan Extends Support

Union Minister Chirag Paswan visited Samrat Choudhary at his residence to congratulate him. Mr Paswan said the new CM has maintained balance among all alliance partners and possesses strong capabilities. “The responsibility on all of us has increased, and we will fulfil it together,” Mr Paswan stated, confirming his party’s full support to the new administration.

Development Agenda Ahead

As per official statements, the new government plans to carry forward the development work initiated by Nitish Kumar. Samrat Choudhary affirmed that the coalition would work collectively to make Bihar prosperous. Several Chief Ministers and Deputy CMs from other states attended the ceremony. The swearing-in was administered by the Governor, with top NDA leaders present. Political analysts suggest the new leadership will focus on continuity in governance while consolidating the BJP’s organisational strength in the state.