In a historic political event at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, Nitish Kumar took oath as Bihar’s Chief Minister for a record-extending tenth time on Thursday. The swearing-in ceremony marked the culmination of last week’s Assembly election victory, in which Kumar’s party, Janata Dal United (JDU), along with its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), secured a decisive mandate. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 202 of the state’s 243 seats, while the JDU itself captured 85 seats.
The event drew prominent leaders from across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present, along with chief ministers from BJP-ruled states and allied parties, including Andhra Pradesh’s N. Chandrababu Naidu. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, speaking to reporters at the ceremony, said, “Bihar is once again on the path of development. The state will progress with PM Modi’s blessings through good governance.”
Nitish Kumar’s political career is notable for its longevity and his ability to maintain power through shifting alliances. He is already the eighth longest-serving chief minister in India. If he completes this term, he will surpass Sikkim’s Pawan Chamling, who held office for 24 years, becoming India’s longest-serving chief minister. 
Alongside Kumar, 19 MLAs were sworn in as ministers, forming the core of the new government. BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary, Vijay Sinha, and Dilip Jaiswal were among those sworn in. Choudhary and Sinha had served as Kumar’s deputies in the previous term, while Jaiswal was briefly the Revenue Minister. Other BJP leaders taking oath included Sanjay Kumar Singh, Pramod Kumar, and Lakhendra Raushan, with Pramod Kumar having previously held the portfolios of Law, Sugarcane, and Art and Culture.
The JDU secured six ministerial positions. Leading the list were Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Energy Minister; Shrawon Kumar, Minister for Rural Development; Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Water Resources Minister; and Ashok Choudhary, Rural Works Development Minister. Five-term JDU MLA Leshi Singh, former Consumer Protection Minister, Madan Sahni, ex-Social Welfare Minister, and Sunil Kumar, two-time MLA from Bhore, were also inducted. Former Minorities Welfare Minister Mohd Zama Khan was re-inducted.
Smaller allies were also accommodated in the cabinet. Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party, ex-Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha, and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Manch each received a ministerial berth. Party leaders’ sons Deepak Prakash and Santosh Manjhi were also sworn in as ministers, with Prakash taking office for the first time and Manjhi resuming a portfolio he briefly held earlier.
