Bihar's Powerhouse Leader: Nitish Kumar Seeks Another Term Amid Unpredictable Election Landscape

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Bihar's 2025 assembly election results are in, and the focus remains on Nitish Kumar, the state's longest-serving chief minister. With over two decades in power, Kumar's ability to navigate shifting alliances and coalitions has earned him a reputation as a shrewd politician. Kumar first took office in 2000 and has led Bihar through multiple coalition governments, often switching between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Critics have labeled him a 'flip-flopper', but this adaptability has allowed him to remain relevant in Bihar's tumultuous politics. Born in 1951 in Bakhtiyarpur, Kumar's career began in the Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) Movement of the 1970s. He entered electoral politics in the 1980s, winning his first assembly election in 1985 and later serving as a member of Parliament. As chief minister, Kumar focused on developing Bihar's infrastructure, education, and law and order, transforming the state's image in the 2000s. Now in his mid-70s, Kumar continues to dominate Bihar's political narrative. His frequent alliances and breakups have reshaped the state's electoral landscape. Since 2006, he has been a member of the Bihar legislative council, a rare move for a sitting chief minister. Kumar's political journey is marked by calculated moves, including his parting ways with the BJP in 2013, his alliance with the RJD and Congress in 2015, and his return to the NDA in 2017. In 2020, the NDA won a narrow majority in Bihar's assembly, but Kumar's JD(U) seat tally dropped significantly. He then broke away from the NDA in 2022, formed a new coalition with the RJD and Congress, and returned to the NDA in 2024. In the 2025 Bihar assembly election, the JD(U) and BJP contested on equal footing, each fielding candidates for 101 seats. The alliance also includes Chirag Paswan's LJP (RV), Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular). As the results come in, all eyes remain on Kumar, who seeks another term as chief minister amid an unpredictable election landscape.