PATNA, April 15 -- Chief minister Samrat Choudhary has kept a tight grip on the levers of power in the new Bihar government, retaining the crucial home and general administration departments for himself in the portfolio allocation notified on Wednesday.

Hours after he and his two deputies were sworn in at the Lok Bhawan, the cabinet secretariat issued the order distributing departments among the trio. Choudhary, who took over as chief minister following the change of guard in the NDA alliance, has been allotted 29 departments - far more than his deputies combined - including several that directly influence day-to-day governance, law and order and the state's vast bureaucracy.

Among the key portfolios he has held on to are home, general ...