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COVER STORY NOVEMBER 28, 2025 | The Indian Eye 6

NITISH KUMAR 10.0

A Historic Oath, a Heavy Mandate

and a New Political Map for Bihar

With his 10th swearing-in as Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar enters the rarest league of Indian

political leadership — but his new term begins amid soaring expectations, renewed scrutiny, and

a reshaped NDA determined to deliver a “new Bihar”.

OUR BUREAU ing Samrat Choudhary, Nitin Nabin,
Shreyasi Singh and Santosh Suman.
Patna / New Delhi
It noted that nearly 80 percent of
atna’s historic Gandhi Maidan, HAM(S)’s winning MLAs were rel-
a site etched into India’s polit- atives of senior leaders, and simi-
Pical memory since Jayaprakash lar patterns existed within BJP and
Narayan’s 1974 “total revolution” JD(U).
call, offered a striking backdrop as For Nitish Kumar, the moment
Nitish Kumar took oath for a record was not only political but also per-
10th time on Thursday. The ceremo- sonal. His son Nishant Kumar, usu-
ny, attended by Prime Minister Na- ally away from the public eye, pub-
rendra Modi and a galaxy of NDA licly congratulated him and thanked
leaders, marked not just a personal voters for their “more than expect-
milestone for the 74-year-old Janata ed” support. Calling it a moment of
Dal (United) chief but also the begin- pride, he reiterated that the NDA
ning of an ambitious new chapter for would continue its development-fo-
Bihar’s ruling coalition. cused agenda.
Nitish’s return to the helm — yet Development is, in fact, the
again — comes with both symbol- heart of the new government’s prom-
ism and strategy. Already the lon- ise. Leaders like Dilip Jaiswal and
gest-serving chief minister of Bihar, Shreyasi Singh stressed that the over-
he is now on course to surpass Jyoti Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with newly sworn-in Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, at the whelming mandate reflected people’s
Basu’s 23-year tenure in West Bengal swearing-in ceremony of the NDA government, in Patna on Thursday. (ANI Photo) confidence in Nitish’s governance
if the newly re-assembled NDA stays model — credited with improving
cohesive for the next five years. His roads, law-and-order and social wel-
political longevity places him along- ner of “Viksit Bihar”. eastward. fare over the past two decades. The
side India’s most enduring state lead- Voices across the alliance sig- The ceremony itself brought NDA now promises a fresh push in
ers: Sikkim’s Pawan Kumar Cham- nalled unity and purpose. Chirag Pas- together a powerful lineup of NDA industrialization, job creation, edu-
ling and Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik. wan, now a key NDA partner, pro- chief ministers — from Yogi Aditya- cation reform, women’s empower-
For a leader whose first term in claimed that the government would nath and N. Chandrababu Naidu to ment and digital public services.
2000 lasted just seven days, Nitish’s prioritize “Bihar first and Biharis Himanta Biswa Sarma, Neiphiu Rio Yet challenges remain. Bihar’s
political journey mirrors the churn of first”, a theme echoed by nearly ev- and Pushkar Singh Dhami — under- economy, still among India’s weak-
Bihar itself: unstable coalitions, rapid ery minister sworn in. JD(U)’s Leshi scoring the significance New Delhi at- est, suffers from low industrial out-
reversals, surprising alliances and cy- Singh, reinstated with Nitish’s trust, taches to the Bihar mandate. Modi, in put, youth unemployment and per-
cles of consolidation. After resigning pledged to work with “full strength” his congratulatory message, praised sistent migration. Nitish’s ability to
in 2014 over his party’s electoral set- for development. BJP’s Ram Kri- Nitish as a “skilled and experienced navigate coalition dynamics, main-
back and returning months later, he pal Yadav and Nitin Nabin insisted administrator” with a “splendid track tain stability and deliver visible prog-
has repeatedly proven his ability to their focus would be on “good gover- record”, calling his leadership inte- ress will shape both his legacy and
read the state’s political pulse — and nance” and Modi-led growth. gral to Bihar’s next growth phase. the state’s future.
recalibrate when needed. Senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh, Inside the state, however, the At Gandhi Maidan, as the crowd
This year’s sweeping NDA man- in typically sharp style, turned his political scene is far from free of dispersed and ministers stepped into
date, hailed by its leaders as “histor- remarks toward the next electoral friction. The Rashtriya Janata Dal their new roles, one message stood
ic”, gives Nitish a broader platform battleground. “Bihar ki jeet humari (RJD), now in opposition, fired an out: Bihar’s political center of gravity
than at any time in the past decade. hai, agli baari Bengal ki,” he de- immediate salvo — accusing the remains firmly with Nitish — but the
The coalition — anchored by JD(U), clared, warning that the BJP would NDA of the very “dynastic politics” expectations riding on him have never
BJP, LJP (Ram Vilas), HAM(S) and not allow West Bengal to “become it criticized during the campaign. In been higher. The 2025 mandate gives
others — now shares both responsi- Bangladesh”, signalling the party’s a pointed post, RJD listed 10 min- him an opportunity to script one of the
bility and opportunity under the ban- intention to carry Bihar’s momentum isters from political families, includ- state’s most consequential chapters.

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