Nitish Kumar sworn in as Bihar CM for a record tenth time, NDA leaders share stage at Gandhi Maidan

Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar for a record tenth term on Thursday, forming his fifth consecutive government backed by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The oath-taking ceremony, held at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan, brought top BJP leadership and NDA chief ministers together in a public show of unity following the alliance’s sweeping victory in the Assembly elections.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J.P. Nadda, and senior state leaders, signalling the central leadership’s endorsement of the renewed NDA rule in Bihar.

NDA Sweeps Bihar Polls, Secures 202 Seats

The oath-taking comes less than a week after the Bihar Assembly results delivered a huge mandate to the ruling NDA, which won 202 out of 243 seats, leaving the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB) with just 35 seats.

The result far exceeded expectations across both political blocs, marking one of the most decisive victories for the alliance since its formation in the state.

Within the NDA, the BJP won 89 seats, while the Janata Dal (United), led by Nitish Kumar, secured 85 seats. Both parties had contested 101 seats each, in a seat-sharing arrangement that was closely watched for possible post-poll friction. The results, instead, consolidated NDA’s position and returned Nitish Kumar as the state’s longest-serving chief minister.

Family reaction and political symbolism on display

Soon after the ceremony, Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar congratulated his father, saying the mandate reflected “more support than expected” from the public. He thanked voters for choosing stability and expressed gratitude on behalf of the family.

Among the new office bearers revealed following the ceremony was Samrat Choudhary, who took oath as the Bihar BJP president, marking a key organisational shift within the state unit as the party prepares for the next phase of governance under the NDA coalition.

Nitish Kumar’s new term extends his political dominance in Bihar, placing him among the few chief ministers nationwide to have served this long consecutively. His return is being read as both a result of organisational coordination with the BJP and his continuing appeal as a leader viewed as experienced in managing Bihar’s coalition politics.

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The NDA government is expected to unveil its policy priorities in the coming weeks, with key cabinet portfolios yet to be formally announced.