Nitish Kumar sworn in as Bihar chief minister for record 10th term

Nitish Kumar sworn in as Bihar chief minister for record 10th term

Nitish Kumar, leader of the Janata Dal (United), was sworn in as Bihar's chief minister for a historic tenth term on Thursday, following a landslide electoral victory by his alliance, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The 74-year-old veteran politician took office in Patna a day after his party's legislators unanimously selected him as their leader, a decision later ratified by the broader coalition. The swearing-in ceremony drew a large crowd, underscoring Kumar's enduring influence in one of India's most politically significant states.

Landslide victory in contentious polls

The alliance led by Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and the BJP secured 202 of Bihar's 243 assembly seats in elections held on 6 and 11 November. The BJP won 89 seats, while Kumar's party claimed 85. Smaller allies-including the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha-contributed the remaining 28 seats to the coalition's tally.

Opposition parties, led by a coalition of the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and smaller groups, managed just 35 seats. The polls were marred by controversy after the Election Commission revised voter lists, a move critics alleged was designed to disenfranchise legitimate voters and favor the BJP-charges both the party and the commission denied.

Record turnout and political stakes

Bihar recorded its highest voter turnout since 1951, with 66.91% participation, driven in part by a surge in female voters. The state, home to over 74 million voters, remains one of India's poorest, with millions migrating annually for work. It is also one of the few regions where the BJP has never formed a government independently.

Prime Minister Modi hailed the result as "a victory for democracy," while analysts noted the election's significance ahead of 2026 polls in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu-states where the BJP has struggled to gain traction. Kumar, who has dominated Bihar's politics for nearly two decades-save for a nine-month hiatus between 2014 and 2015-now faces the challenge of addressing the state's economic and social issues amid heightened expectations.

What's next for Bihar?

Kumar's return to power marks a continuation of his long-standing political dominance, but his alliance with the BJP-a party he has both partnered with and opposed in the past-could shape the state's policy direction in the coming years. Observers will closely watch how the coalition addresses Bihar's development challenges, including migration, unemployment, and infrastructure gaps.

"This mandate reflects the people's trust in our vision for Bihar's progress," Kumar said during his oath-taking address, emphasizing unity and development as key priorities.