Nitish Kumar's Enduring Political Dominance: How Bihar's Veteran Leader Secured His 10th Term as Chief Minister

Nitish Kumar took oath as Bihar Chief Minister for a record 10th time in a political scenario that demonstrates the enduring influence of seasoned politicians.

New Delhi:

In Bihar's political landscape, the experienced leadership continues to dominate. Contrary to expert predictions about younger leaders taking over, the old guard has proven their resilience and relevance. The narrative suggesting a generational shift in Bihar's politics has been disproven by recent developments.

Two significant factors highlight this reality: the Janata Dal (United) remains a formidable political force, and Nitish Kumar, at 74, has just been sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister for an unprecedented 10th time.

Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party, which attempted a fresh approach focusing on contemporary social issues rather than traditional caste-based politics, failed to secure even a single seat despite contesting 238 of the 243 assembly seats.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by the much younger Tejashwi Yadav also showed disappointing electoral performance.

Nitish Kumar's remarkable political career spanning five decades demonstrates extraordinary staying power that has consistently defied both skeptics and critics who predicted his political demise.

With his record 10th term as chief minister, Kumar has now entered the national top-10 list of longest-serving heads of government.

Born in 1951 in Bihar's Bakhtiyarpur, Kumar's political journey began during the JP movement. He initially joined the Janata Party and faced defeat in his first assembly election attempt in 1977. His first electoral victory came eight years later in 1985.

Kumar has distinguished himself through his focus on addressing governance deficits, unlike many politicians from the socialist tradition. However, critics often accuse him of political opportunism.

Whether viewed as opportunism or political astuteness, his strategic maneuvers have consistently prevented the BJP from appointing their own chief minister in Bihar, despite the party's national dominance and strong performance in recent assembly polls where they won 89 seats compared to JD(U)'s 85.

His reputation for switching political alliances earned him the nickname 'Paltu Ram,' while his governance record has also gained him the title 'sushashan babu' (good governance man).

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the JD(U) demonstrated impressive electoral efficiency by matching the BJP's seat count despite contesting one fewer seat. This performance has made the BJP dependent on Kumar's party for maintaining power at the Centre, as they fell short of a majority.

An engineering graduate, Kumar chose politics over a secure government job in the state electricity department – an unusual choice for educated youth in Bihar, where government employment remains highly coveted.

Unlike his contemporaries from the JP movement, Lalu Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan, electoral success initially eluded Kumar. After three consecutive defeats, he finally tasted victory in the 1985 assembly elections, winning from Harnaut as a Lok Dal candidate.

Four years later, he entered national politics by winning the Lok Sabha seat from Barh, while Lalu Yadav became Bihar's chief minister.

Kumar's first five-year term as Chief Minister is widely respected even by opponents, marked by significant improvements in law and order. Recognizing his demographic limitations compared to Lalu Yadav, Kumar strategically created sub-quotas among OBCs and Dalits, classifying them as "Ati Pichhda" (EBC) and "Mahadalits."

His popular initiatives like free bicycles and school uniforms for female students won widespread approval and contributed to his political comeback in 2010, when he led the JD(U)-BJP coalition to a decisive victory in the assembly elections.

Kumar's unique ability to navigate diverse political ideologies became evident when he left the BJP in 2022, alleging attempts to weaken the JD(U). He maintained power by forming new alliances with the RJD, Congress, and Left parties, and helped establish the INDIA bloc.

Characteristic of his political flexibility, Kumar eventually abandoned the anti-BJP alliance when he felt undervalued, only to be warmly welcomed back into the NDA fold.

With inputs from PTI