Patna: Bihar Chief Minister-designate Nitish Kumar was unanimously chosen as the leader of the Janata Dal (United) legislature party on Wednesday, paving the way for him to take oath as chief minister for an unprecedented tenth term. The decision came during a meeting of newly elected JD(U) MLAs and Legislative Council members held at the party’s headquarters, ‘Samvad’, located within the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
State minister Shrawon Kumar confirmed the development, stating that all newly elected legislators endorsed the resolution naming the 75-year-old JD(U) chief as their leader. The proposal was initiated by senior leaders Vijay Choudhary and Umesh Kushwaha, and subsequently supported by Bijendra Yadav, JD(U) working national president Sanjay Jha, and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’.
Following his election as leader, Nitish Kumar addressed party members, urging them to stay focused on “public welfare and effective governance” as the new term begins.
NDA to Formalise Leadership
The JD(U) legislature party’s endorsement comes just ahead of a scheduled meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents in the state. Nitish Kumar is expected to be formally elected as the alliance’s leader as well, clearing the final procedural hurdle for government formation.
Later in the evening, Kumar will call on Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, where he is set to present letters of support from all five NDA partners. The current Bihar Assembly is due to be dissolved on Wednesday, after which the formation of the new government will commence.
NDA Secures Strong Majority
The NDA secured a sweeping victory in the 243-member assembly, winning 202 seats. The BJP emerged with 89 seats, JD(U) with 85, while LJP (RV) secured 19, HAM 5, and RLM 4, ensuring a stable majority for the alliance.
Nitish Kumar’s Long Journey
Nitish Kumar, born in 1951 in Bakhtiyarpur, is one of Bihar’s most enduring political figures. Rising from the JP Movement, he entered electoral politics in the late 1970s and registered his first poll victory in 1985. Over the decades, he has helmed multiple coalition governments and introduced numerous welfare schemes.
During the recent election campaign, Kumar announced major benefits—expanding social security pensions, boosting allowances for Asha, Anganwadi and Jeevika workers, and launching the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, under which over one crore women received financial support. These initiatives were widely seen as key to the NDA’s comeback.
Despite political criticism and speculation over BJP’s growing influence in the state, the JD(U) leader remained firm throughout the campaign, projecting stability and governance experience.
Nitish Kumar is scheduled to take oath at Gandhi Maidan on Thursday, marking yet another milestone in h
