Patna, November 21, 2025 – In a spectacle of political longevity and alliance resilience, Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar for a record-extending tenth time on Thursday, capping the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) sweeping victory in the 2025 Assembly elections. The ceremony at the historic Gandhi Maidan drew top national figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but was swiftly overshadowed by blistering accusations from political strategist-turned-critic Prashant Kishor, who branded the new 26-member cabinet as "full of corrupts, criminals."
Governor Arif Mohammad Khan administered the oath to Kumar at a grand event attended by thousands, underscoring the NDA's dominance after securing 202 of the 243 seats in the state legislature. The Janata Dal (United) clinched 85 seats, while its senior partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), emerged as the single-largest party with 89. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan and other allies rounded out the coalition's haul, leaving the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB) reeling with just 35 seats.
The cabinet induction, capped at 26 ministers out of a possible 36, featured a calculated caste arithmetic to appease Bihar's diverse electorate, including one Muslim representative and three women. Returning as deputies were BJP's Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, both from the previous dispensation. Other key inductees included BJP's Dilip Jaiswal as Finance Minister and JD(U)'s Vijay Chaudhary retaining Home Affairs. The lineup blends seasoned loyalists with fresh faces, signaling continuity in Kumar's focus on infrastructure, women's empowerment, and prohibition enforcement—priorities that propelled the NDA's landslide.
"Nitish Kumar's return is a testament to his enduring appeal and the NDA's unbreakable bond," BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters post-ceremony. Prime Minister Modi, in a brief address, lauded Kumar as "Bihar's development warrior," while Amit Shah hailed the alliance's mandate as a rejection of "dynastic politics." The event also saw emotional moments, with Kumar greeting his son Nishant after the oaths, a rare public display amid his reputation for iron-fisted governance.
Yet, the jubilation was tempered by immediate backlash from Prashant Kishor, founder of the nascent Jan Suraaj Party, who has positioned himself as Bihar's anti-corruption crusader. Speaking to journalists after concluding a day-long silent fast at Gandhi Ashram in West Champaran—part of his ongoing protest against electoral malpractices—Kishor unleashed a tirade against the cabinet. "The new cabinet of Nitish Kumar, which took oath yesterday, is full of corrupt and criminals. I must say that this council of ministers is a slap in the face of the people of Bihar," he declared. Kishor, who once masterminded Kumar's 2010 and 2015 poll wins, accused the NDA of rewarding graft and impunity, specifically naming deputies like Samrat Chaudhary and others with alleged histories of corruption and criminal cases.
This isn't Kishor's first salvo. Pre-poll, he had warned that without illicit cash transfers—claiming up to ₹10,000 per vote—the NDA would have scraped just 25 seats. He vowed to expose such irregularities through his party's upcoming 'Bihar Navnirman Sankalp Yatra,' a door-to-door campaign launching January 15 to "reclaim Bihar from the corrupt elite." Opposition voices, including RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, echoed the sentiment, dubbing the cabinet a "recycled rogue's gallery" and predicting a return to "jungle raj" under NDA rule.
Kumar, 74, has navigated Bihar's fractious politics through nine prior stints since 2000, earning the moniker "Paltu Ram" for his alliance flips but credit for transforming the state from lawlessness to relative stability. His latest term, backed by the BJP after a brief 2022-2024 tryst with the opposition, promises accelerated projects like the Patna Metro and flood mitigation. However, with Kishor's Jan Suraaj eyeing a 2027 challenge and simmering caste tensions, the honeymoon may be short-lived.
As confetti settled at Gandhi Maidan, the real battle lines are drawn not in the assembly chamber, but in the court of public opinion. For Bihar's 13 crore residents, Kumar's tenth inning could be his most scrutinized yet— a high-stakes gamble on redemption amid the din of dissent.
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