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Newly-appointed Samrat Choudhary found himself at the centre of a controversy on Friday after declining to wear a skull cap offered by a Muslim worker during a public programme in Patna.

The event was organised to welcome Choudhary following his swearing-in as Chief Minister on April 15 at Lok Bhavan. Since taking charge, he has been meeting supporters and party workers who have been visiting to congratulate him.

During one such interaction, an elderly Muslim worker greeted the Chief Minister and attempted to place a skull cap on his head. Choudhary stopped him, took the cap in his hand, and later handed it over to his security personnel. The same worker then offered him a shawl, which Choudhary accepted and wore with a smile, as the incident unfolded in full public view.

His predecessor, Nitish Kumar, had earlier been seen wearing skull caps at public events. However, his stance appeared to shift after the 2020 Assembly elections, as he declined to wear one on multiple occasions.

In August 2025, during the centenary celebrations of the Madrasa Education Board at Bapu Auditorium in Patna, when his then cabinet colleague Jama Khan urged him to wear a cap, Nitish Kumar smiled and returned it, although he accepted a shawl.

Despite this, Nitish Kumar has also been seen wearing a cap during Eid celebrations. More recently, his son, Nishant Kumar, was spotted wearing one at an event in Patna.

Nishant Kumar joined the Janata Dal (United) on March 8. Although he was expected to be part of the new NDA government led by Choudhary, the Chief Minister has instead focused on strengthening the organisation.

Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar took oath as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament on April 10, a development widely seen as paving the way for a restructuring of leadership in the state government.