Nitish Kumar Enters World Book of Records for Taking Oath as Bihar Chief Minister 10 Times

Since 2005, Nitish Kumar has served continuously as Chief Minister, with only a brief interruption of less than one year.

The World Book of Records, London, has officially acknowledged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's remarkable achievement of taking oath as Chief Minister for the 10th time.

Sharing this recognition on social media platform X, Janata Dal (United) national working president Sanjay Jha expressed, "It is a matter of great joy and pride to share that the World Book of Records, London, has recognized the extraordinary milestone achieved by Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar, who has taken oath as Chief Minister for the 10th time." He emphasized this as an exceptionally rare distinction in India's democratic history.

Kumar's political journey began when he first became Chief Minister in 2000, though his initial tenure lasted only seven days as he failed to secure majority support during the floor test.

From 2005 onwards, Kumar has maintained his position as Chief Minister almost continuously, with the exception of a brief period when he appointed Jitan Ram Manjhi to the position following JD(U)'s disappointing performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Kumar's third oath followed a decisive victory in the 2010 assembly elections. His fourth came before the 2015 state polls when he reclaimed leadership from Manjhi after a political confrontation.

Throughout his career, Kumar has strategically formed alliances with both the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan coalition.

In 2015, Kumar established a grand alliance with his longtime rival Lalu Prasad of the RJD and the Congress party, taking his fifth oath as Chief Minister. He resigned in July 2017, citing corruption allegations against Lalu's son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.

Within just 24 hours of his resignation, Kumar was sworn in for the sixth time with BJP support, rejoining the NDA coalition.

Following the 2020 Bihar elections, he took his seventh oath. However, as tensions escalated over caste census issues and perceived BJP dominance, Kumar abandoned the alliance in 2022.

Kumar subsequently rejoined forces with RJD and Congress, taking his eighth oath of office.

The Mahagathbandhan 2.0 alliance lasted only 17 months before Kumar exited ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, stating that "things were not right."

Before the 2024 national polls, he realigned with the NDA and took his ninth oath as Chief Minister.

Most recently, Kumar was sworn in for the tenth time following assembly elections where the NDA secured a commanding victory with 202 seats out of 243.

According to Jha, "The organization's commendation notes that this remarkable feat reflects his unwavering public service, stable governance, and the enduring trust placed in him by Bihar's people. Leading a state across ten terms is not merely a personal achievement; it stands as a historic moment for Bihar and a testament to its democratic strength." He added that the World Book of Records has expressed its intention to formally include Nitish Kumar in its prestigious global listings.

Jha concluded by stating, "This is a proud moment for Bihar and a tribute to a leader whose steady commitment continues to guide the state's progress."