On Thursday, Nitish Kumar, Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister, was sworn in for a record 10th term in Patna at a grand ceremony. Among the 26 people who took the oath along with Nitish, only one wasn’t a legislator: Deepak Prakash.
Son of Rashtriya Lok Manchu (RLM) chief Upendra Kushwaha, Deepak Prakash is expected to be accommodated in the legislative council within six months. While Upendra Kushwaha is an MP, Deepak’s mother, Sneh Lata Kushwaha, is the new MLA from Sasaram.
Interestingly, it was Sneh Lata’s name that initially cropped up as the RLM representative in the Cabinet. However, Kushwaha sprung a surprise last minute when he handpicked son Deepak, instead of wife, Sneh Lata.
The media got a whiff about Deepak’s swearing in only when his wife, Sakshi Mishra, posted a cryptic message on Instagram. She posted a single picture of her husband, introducing him. Hours later, Deepak was seen attending the ceremony in an off-white shirt, jeans, and Crocs.
VIDEO | Patna: After taking oath as Bihar Minister, RLM leader Deepak Prakash says, “I would like to thank my leader and father Upendra Kushwaha for giving me this opportunity, and I extend my gratitude to all the leaders and workers of the party. I am getting an opportunity to… pic.twitter.com/5SAImcKgU2
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 20, 2025
While most people were surprised at seeing a “clueless” Deepak on stage, speculations are that he was a wildcard entry as neither the BJP nor Nitish was excited about him being a minister. “I feel the responsibility to work for the youth and women. I extend my gratitude to all party workers,” Deepak told reporters. When asked about the choice, Kushwaha said youth should be encouraged to take responsibility.
"Youth should be encouraged."
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) November 20, 2025
- Upendra Kushwaha on his son Deepak Prakash being inducted in Bihar cabinet pic.twitter.com/xno7EO2nBh
A BTech graduate, Deepak has so far stayed under the radar. He was, however, active while campaigning for his mother at Sasaram. Sneh Lata was constantly accompanied not only by Deepak but his wife, Sakshi Mishra, who actively campaigned for her mother-in-law.
The 36-year-old did his school education in Patna in 2007. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from MIT, Manipur in 2011. Though he worked as a software engineer from 2011 to 2013, Deepak entered politics in 2019 – ready to inherit his father's legacy. His grandfather, Ram Naresh Kushwaha, was a former MLA, and his grandmother, Muneshwari Devi, was a social worker.
His wife, Sakshi Mishra, is a social worker and the daughter of retired Uttar Pradesh IAS officer S N Mishra. Very active in social media, Sakshi is said to be active in politics and has displayed a level of political diligence when it comes to her family's prospects.
