Nitish Kumar’s political journey: From rebellion to longest-serving CM
The Hindu
Explore Nitish Kumar's political evolution from rebellion to Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister, highlighting his governance and strategic alliances.
Nitish Kumar, a prominent figure in Bihar politics since the mid-1990s, will conclude his record ten terms as Chief Minister in March 2026. Mr. Kumar has navigated the complex political terrain of Bihar, marked by strategic alliances and governance initiatives aimed at promoting inclusivity and development.
Since the 1994 revolt in Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal, Mr. Kumar has remained a central figure in the State’s politics. After breaking away from the then-Chief Minister Lalu Prasad, he co-founded the Samata Party alongside the veteran socialist leader George Fernandes.
Rajya Sabha election | Nomination updates on March 5, 2026
Old-timers, however, also recall how Mr. Kumar used his political acumen in the early 1990s to help Lalu Prasad become Chief Minister of the State by outmaneuvering strong adversaries within the Janata Dal, such as Raghunath Jha and Ram Sundar Das. Lalu later repaid Mr. Kumar politically by helping him win the next Lok Sabha election in 1994 from the erstwhile Barh parliamentary constituency by alienating the dreaded Dular Chand Yadav — a staunch opponent of Mr. Kumar who was later killed during the 2025 Assembly polls in Mokama.
In March 2000, Mr. Kumar became the Chief Minister of Bihar for just seven days (March 3 to March 10) after the Assembly elections in the State resulted in a hung House. Mr. Kumar had to resign after his government failed to prove its majority in the House.
Earlier than this, Mr. Kumar began his political career in 1974 during the anti-emergency movement by joining Jayaprakash Narayan’s Total Revolution (Sampoorna Kranti). In 1985, he was elected for the first time as an MLA from the Harnaut constituency of Nalanda district, which is Mr. Kumar’s home district. In 1989, Mr. Kumar was also elected for the first time to the Lok Sabha from the erstwhile Barh parliamentary constituency in undivided Bihar. He was appointed Minister of State in the V.P. Singh Government in 1990.
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