Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah are set to attend the first cabinet expansion ceremony of the Samrat Choudhary-led government in Bihar on Thursday, as the BJP seeks to turn it into a mega political event at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan.

Organising a cabinet expansion on such a grand scale is rare and is being seen as Modi and Shah’s bid to project the BJP’s growing dominance across eastern India following its recent electoral gains, especially in Bengal. Usually, the sprawling Gandhi Maidan is the venue of choice for the swearing-in of a government.

Choudhary, the BJP’s first chief minister in the Mandal heartland state, was sworn in on April 15 at a low-key ceremony held at the Governor’s House in Patna, with Modi and Shah not in attendance. Two ministers from ally JDU had also taken oath along with Choudhary.

The subdued nature of the event was widely seen as a calibrated move to avoid giving the impression that the BJP was celebrating the exit of JDU veteran Nitish Kumar, who stepped down after taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member.

The cabinet expansion had been deferred until after the Bengal polls. With the party now securing what it terms the “last frontier”, the BJP appears to have opted for a grand political showcase to underline its firm grip over both Bihar and Bengal.

Two large stages are being erected at the Gandhi Maidan for the ceremony, with Modi expected to hold a road show in the city ahead of the official programme. Senior NDA leaders, Union ministers and Nitish are expected to be present. Choudhary visited the Maidan on Wednesday to inspect the preparations.

Hectic negotiations are underway in Patna, with NDA allies pushing for a greater share in the cabinet.

Shah, along with BJP president Nitin Nabin, was expected to arrive in the city in the evening to hold final consultations with alliance partners before the list of ministers is finalised.

There is a strong buzz in Patna that Nitish’s son Nishant Kumar could take oath as a minister. Sections in the JDU said Nishant had initially declined to become a deputy chief minister, insisting on focusing on strengthening the party organisation, but appeared to have relented under pressure from loyalists and family members.

“Most likely he will take oath as a minister in the Samrat Choudhary government on Thursday,” a JDU MLA said.

Another senior JDU leader, however, refused to confirm this.

“We are trying to convince Nishant to join the government, but so far he is in two minds and hasn’t given his nod,” the leader said. “It would be good for the party if he agrees because we want him to gain administrative experience and establish himself as Nitishji’s political heir,” the leader added.

Nishant, 50, is now on a Sadbhav Yatra across the state.

The Patna show comes ahead of a significantly larger political event scheduled at Calcutta’s Brigade Parade Grounds, where Bengal’s first BJP government will be sworn in on Saturday.

Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi described the cabinet expansion as a “historic event”, directly linking it to the party’s Bengal triumph. “The historic event will be held at Gandhi Maidan. It will be attended by PM Modi along with Amit Shah… after a landslide victory in Bengal,” he said, adding that party workers were preparing a grand welcome for the Prime Minister.

The Patna event also comes against the backdrop of the BJP’s return to power for a third consecutive term in Assam.

BJP leaders view the high-profile Patna event as an attempt to consolidate its hold over the eastern belt — referred to by Modi and Shah as “Anga, Banga and Kalinga” — encompassing Bihar, Bengal and Odisha. Together with Assam, these states account for 117 Lok Sabha seats, making them central to the BJP’s electoral strategy. Party leaders have stressed that the path to victory in the 2029 general election runs through this region.

The last time Gandhi Maidan witnessed a similar political gathering was on November 20 last year, when Nitish took oath as the Bihar chief minister for a record tenth time after the NDA’s sweeping victory in the Assembly polls. Modi and top NDA leaders had attended the swearing-in.

Less than six months later, the political landscape shifted dramatically as Nitish announced his move to the Rajya Sabha, citing his “long-held desire” to serve in the Upper House. The development paved the way for the BJP to install its first chief minister in Bihar, having emerged as the largest party in the NDA with 89 seats, followed by the JDU’s 85.