Who is Mohd Zama Khan? Lone Muslim minister in Nitish Kumar’s new Bihar cabinet

Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister, was sworn in for a record tenth term at a grand ceremony in Patna on Thursday. Besides Kumar, 26 ministers were sworn in on the occasion: 14 from the BJP, 8 from JDU, LJP(RV) 2, HAM 1 and RLM 1. From the JD(U) quota, all the appointed ministers were ministers in the previous government. Among them is Mohammad Zama Khan, the only Muslim MLA in the NDA, who won 202 seats of the 243-member assembly.

Who is Mohammed Zama Khan?

Mohammad Zama Khan is a well-known politician from Kaimur district in Bihar. He recently won the Chainpur Assembly constituency in the state by 8,362 votes, defeating Brij Kishor Bind of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Zama first won the Chainpur seat on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket by a margin of nearly 35,000 votes in 2020. He later switched to the Janata Dal (United) and became Minister for Minority Affairs in the 7th Nitish Kumar Ministry.

NDA alliance in Bihar

The NDA also includes smaller allies LJPRV, HAM and RLM, led by Union ministers Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha respectively. The BJP has fourteen ministers in the cabinet, JD(U) eight. Five ministers are Dalits – one from BJP, LJPRV and HAM, and two from JD(U). Eight ministers belong to upper castes, including four Rajputs. Three Yadavs are also housed there. The maximum number of ministers allowed for the state cabinet, including the CM, is 36, which is 15 percent of the 243 seats.

Honorable Chief Minister Shri dedicated to public service @NitishKumar Congratulations and good luck on taking the oath as a minister in the people’s government led by Ji.#Bihar #NitishKumar#I GO #JanataDalUnited pic.twitter.com/rBLeaJ08fJ

— Janata Dal (United) (@Jduonline) November 20, 2025