PATNA, April 16 -- Congratulations rolled in for Samrat Choudhary after he was sworn in as the first BJP chief minister of Bihar on Wednesday, with NDA leaders exuding confidence that the state would progress rapidly and contribute to realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve for a 'Viksit Bharat'. Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) administered the oath of office and secrecy to Choudhary as chief minister, a day after Nitish Kumar resigned after serving in the post for the longest period. Nitish Kumar, who is now a Rajya Sabha MP, took to X to congratulate Chaudhary and expressed confidence that "under your leadership, Bihar will develop rapidly and join the ranks of the most developed states in the country". BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi also extended best wishes to Choudhary for becoming Bihar's chief minister. "Samrat Choudhary ji will work to develop Bihar in a way that will help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve for 'Viksit Bharat 2047'. "Nitish Kumar ji established the rule of law in Bihar and brought in development. The new chief minister will take his work further," he told reporters. Former Bihar deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Sinha also took to X to congratulate Choudhary. JD(U) national working president and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha expressed hope that Bihar will enter a "new phase of development" under Choudhary's leadership and that "the pace of growth will accelerate, youth will get new opportunities, farmers will be empowered, and each section of society will witness equitable progress". "We hope and are confident that the trust Nitish Kumar ji and the NDA Legislature Party have placed in you will be fully justified, and you will take Bihar to new heights of progress," he wrote on X....