Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for an unprecedented tenth term on Thursday morning, marking yet another milestone in his long and eventful political journey. The ceremony came just days after a sweeping victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Bihar Assembly elections, where the alliance secured a commanding 202 of 243 seats.
The Janata Dal (United), which many critics had written off as “too old” and past its political prime, scripted a remarkable comeback by winning 85 seats. Together with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, the NDA comfortably crossed the majority mark, paving the way for Nitish Kumar’s return to power.
At 73, Nitish Kumar remains one of India’s most resilient political figures. His survival instincts, strategic alliance-making, and ability to reinvent himself have earned him both admiration and criticism. With this term, he moves up the ladder as independent India’s eighth longest-serving Chief Minister, and if he completes the full tenure, he may surpass former Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s record of 24 years in office.
The swearing-in ceremony also saw 19 MLAs taking oath as ministers, forming the core team that will shape Bihar’s governance in the coming years.
The new cabinet reflects a carefully balanced power-sharing arrangement within the NDA. The BJP, which narrowly maintained its position as the senior partner by seat count, has secured 10 ministerial berths, giving the party significant influence in government formation. The JDU, meanwhile, has been allotted six berths, ensuring its strong presence in the cabinet.
Smaller allies have also found representation. Leaders from Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM), and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Manch are set to join the cabinet, with speculation suggesting the LJP could receive a second post due to its impressive electoral performance.
The political landscape in Bihar has once again shifted, but Nitish Kumar’s return to power highlights one key reality: his enduring relevance in state politics. As Bihar embarks on its next political chapter, the focus now turns to governance, development promises, and the challenges of steering the state in a changing national environment.
With a strong majority and a renewed mandate, the Nitish-led government faces high expectations—from employment generation to infrastructure development and social welfare reforms. The coming years will test whether this new term can pave the way for lasting and meaningful change in Bihar.
