Nitish Kumar will take oath as the chief minister of Bihar for the tenth time, underscoring his unusual longevity in state politics. His rise from a socialist leader in the 1970s to one of India’s most durable regional leaders has been defined by a focus on governance, an ability to read social coalitions and a readiness to shift alliances when needed.
His return to office, again, shows how firmly he has embedded himself in Bihar’s political structure.
Kumar was chosen as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislative party in Patna, backed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs and Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha. Chaudhary had earlier been elected leader of the BJP legislative party. Kumar was formally endorsed at the NDA meeting attended by senior leaders, including Dharmendra Pradhan and Chirag Paswan. “We will begin implementing the promises made to the people,” Paswan said after the meeting.
Earlier, Kumar was elected leader of the Janata Dal (United) legislative party at a meeting at the chief minister’s secretariat, attended by all newly elected MLAs and 22 legislative council members. The NDA returned to power with 202 seats in the 243-member assembly; the BJP won 89 seats, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM 5 and RLM 4.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, several Union ministers and Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states are expected to attend.
BJP leaders said the cabinet will be formed after consultations with the chief minister. Samrat Chaudhary will continue as deputy chief minister, and allies such as LJP, HAM and RLM are expected to join the cabinet. There were last-minute discussions over the allocation of key portfolios, with both JD(U) and BJP seeking the home portfolio and the post of assembly speaker.
The way forward
Expectations from the new government are high after the decisive mandate. Kumar’s governance record has centred on roads, law and order, school attendance and targeted welfare schemes. His government recently transferred Rs 10,000 to the accounts of more than 1.3 crore women and promised up to Rs 2 lakh for those presenting viable business proposals.
Kumar’s political appeal among women, extremely backward classes and sections of the rural poor has been one of his most stable assets. With women voters again backing him in large numbers, attention will be on how many women MLAs find a place in the new cabinet.
The NDA’s manifesto outlined an ambitious set of targets, with employment as the central pillar: a target of one crore jobs over five years and 30 lakh roles in emerging sectors such as IT, semiconductors and food processing. Mega skill centres in every district are to be upgraded into global skilling centres to support this pipeline.
The Nitish government is expected to focus on industrial expansion. The alliance is committed to manufacturing units in all districts, 10 new industrial parks, 100 MSME parks under the 'Vocal for Local' initiative, and efforts to attract up to Rs 50 lakh crore in investment. Plans for a defence corridor, green energy manufacturing hubs and an economy geared toward export-oriented industries are part of this framework.
Infrastructure promises span transport, health and education. The government aims to build seven expressways, introduce metro rail in four cities beyond Patna and double the pace of economic growth through industrialisation. Health plans include a world-class medicity and medical colleges in every district. Free education from KG to PG, AI-enabled schools and new universities form the core of the education commitments.
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Women voters, who were central to the NDA’s victory, will shape the early direction of the government. Kumar’s previous administration transferred Rs 10,000 to over a crore women. The new manifesto builds on this with 'Mission Crorepati Didi' to create one crore women entrepreneurs and provisions of up to Rs 2 lakh under the Chief Minister Mahila Rozgar Yojana. Representation of women MLAs in the cabinet will be closely watched.
Support for the extremely backward classes includes Rs 10 lakh in financial assistance, a commission led by a retired Supreme Court judge to review welfare measures and targeted schemes aligned with rural income patterns. Nitish Kumar enters his new term with political stability, an extensive manifesto and a voter base that expects speed and clarity in execution. |
