Nitish Kumar set to return as Bihar Chief Minister for 10th time

Nitish Kumar is preparing to take office as Chief Minister of Bihar for the 10th time, following a decisive victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the recent state elections. The Janata Dal (United) leader met Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Wednesday evening to formally stake his claim to form the next government.

Kumar, 74, resigned earlier in the day from his role as head of the outgoing administration, though he was asked to continue in an interim capacity until the new government is sworn in. The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for Thursday morning at Gandhi Maidan, a prominent public ground in Patna. Senior national leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and several chief ministers from NDA-ruled states are expected to attend.

The leadership transition follows the NDA’s sweeping win, securing 202 out of 243 seats in the Bihar Assembly. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 89 seats, the JD(U) took 85, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) secured 19, Hindustani Awami Morcha claimed 5, and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha won 4. The opposition alliance was reduced to just 35 seats.

NDA elects its leadership

Earlier in the day, the JD(U) and BJP held separate meetings of their newly elected legislators. JD(U) members chose Kumar as their leader, reaffirming his central role in the coalition. In a parallel meeting, BJP legislators selected Samrat Choudhary as leader of their legislature party and confirmed Vijay Kumar Sinha as his deputy. Both are set to continue as deputy chief ministers in the upcoming cabinet.

Choudhary retained the Tarapur seat in the election, while Sinha won in Lakhisarai. Their re-appointment reinforces what BJP leaders described as continuity in governance. According to Keshav Prasad Maurya, Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister and one of the BJP’s central observers, the party is “united behind a stable government in Bihar”.

Speaking to PTI Video, JD(U) working national president Sanjay Jha explained that Kumar’s election as NDA leader was the coalition’s first order of business. “Nitish Kumar will be first elected as leader of our legislature party on Wednesday. After that, he will be elected as NDA leader by the newly elected MLAs of all alliance partners,” he said.

Cabinet formation underway

Sources within the coalition indicated that more than 20 ministers will be sworn in alongside Kumar. Both major parties are expected to retain several senior figures from the outgoing cabinet while introducing new names to balance caste and regional considerations.

From the BJP’s allocation, leaders likely to be sworn in include Samrat Choudhary, Vijay Sinha, Nitin Navin, Renu Devi, Mangal Pandey, Neeraj Bablu, Sanjay Sarawagi, Hari Sahni and Rajnish Kumar. Party officials said the selections were made to represent a range of communities, including Bhumihar, Extremely Backward Classes, Rajput, Brahmin, Kayastha and Vaishya groups.

The JD(U) is expected to induct ten ministers, including Vijay Choudhary, Shrawan Kumar, Ashok Choudhary, Zama Khan, Ratnesh Sada, Leshi Singh, Bijender Yadav, Shyam Rajak, Sunil Kumar and Damodar Rawat. The party’s leadership has emphasised social diversity in its choices, with four Dalits expected to join the cabinet along with representatives of Muslim, Yadav, Rajput, Bhumihar and EBC communities.

Among allied parties, the LJP (Ram Vilas) is likely to receive three ministerial posts, representing Scheduled Castes, Extremely Backward Classes and upper-caste groups. The RLM may secure a portfolio for Snehlata Kushwaha, who won from Sararam, while the HAM (Secular) is expected to nominate Santosh Kumar Suman, son of party founder Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Sources within the NDA also indicated that the BJP has negotiated to keep the position of Speaker in the new Assembly, with senior leader Prem Kumar emerging as the leading candidate.

Security preparations

Officials in Patna have deployed large numbers of police officers across the city in anticipation of Thursday’s ceremony. Additional security measures have been put in place around Gandhi Maidan due to the expected attendance of national leaders and thousands of supporters.

Context: Nitish Kumar’s political longevity

Nitish Kumar first became Chief Minister of Bihar in 2000 and has since held the post for multiple terms, with brief interruptions. His political career has been marked by shifting alliances but also by a consistent public image as a governance-focused administrator. His return for a record 10th term underscores both his personal political resilience and the continued strength of the NDA in one of India’s largest states.

The formation of his new cabinet is being closely watched in New Delhi and across the region, as Bihar’s political alignment plays a significant role in federal decision-making. With the NDA’s large majority, analysts expect the government to pursue policy continuity in infrastructure, welfare schemes and rural development.