If Diwali for Bihar's political warriors was celebrated three days in advance, Nitish Kumar has chosen Thanksgiving almost a week before schedule by rewarding caste groups who voted the Grand Alliance to victory in his new ministry.

A glance at the list of 28 ministers who will be part of the Nitish government suggests that loyalty and caste affiliations have been given greater weightage than performance record and efficiency.

The claims of some politicians could not be ignored, such as RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui and JDU's Bijendra Prasad Yadav - both are senior leaders, known for their clean image and have a proven track record.

However, political observers are baffled at the dropping of the JDU's Narendra Narayan Yadav, who was considered to be an honest and efficient face of the Nitish government during the last 10 years, and inclusion of the RJD's Ram Vichar Rai, who had the reputation of being a known bahubali (muscle man) and is remembered for having allegedly twisted the wrists of then leader of Opposition Sushil Kumar Modi in the early 2000s.

The Grand Alliance has given representation to castes and communities which are believed to have voted for the JDU-RJD-Congress in the Assembly elections. The Yadavs, who have remained solidly behind the Grand Alliance despite the BJP's efforts to woo them, have got seven members in the new cabinet. Koeris, who defied political pundits and mainly voted Grand Alliance candidates, have been given four ministerial berths. The Dalits, particularly the Chamars, who ignored the presence of Jitan Ram Manjhi and Ram Vilas Paswan in the NDA and backed Nitish, have been given five representatives. The EBCs, who make up about 28 per cent of Bihar's population, have been thanked with four ministers.

Incidentally, the induction of Kapildev Kamat of the JDU in the ministry is not a coincidence. There is a substantial number of the EBC Kamat caste in Mithilanchal where the Grand Alliance has done well. The upper castes have been given four berths, fewer than in previous ministries.

Loyalty to either Nitish Kumar or Lalu Prasad has paid dividends. Ram Vichar Rai of the RJD was never known for his efficiency when he held the portfolio of disaster management in the Rabri Devi ministry. But he remained loyal even when Lalu's political career hit the nadir. He has been awarded a ministry.

Vijay Prakash came into public limelight when he was caught distributing liquor and money in the 2005 Assembly elections in Jamui. He was absconding for a long time. But he got in this time because he is the brother of RJD MP and close associate of Lalu, Jai Prakash Yadav.

Similarly, Srawan Kumar of the JDU was not sure he would be able to remain in the ministry because of the reduced quota of his party. He, however, did get a call from the CM's house on Friday morning. Srawan has been Nitish's trusted man for his home district Nalanda for more than two decades apart from belonging to the same caste grouping.

This is not to say that Nitish heads a ministry without talent. Bijendra Yadav and Siddiqui have a track record of being efficient ministers. Even Chandrika Rai of the RJD is remembered as one of the few efficient ministers in the Rabri government when he headed the science and technology department in an age when Lalu used to mock at IT. Madhepura MLA Chandrashekhar is highly respected by all sections of the society.

But they have got their posts due to their caste considerations and the political compulsions of having to say thank you to ones vote banks. Thanksgiving, which the US and the world will celebrate on November 26, has come early to Bihar.