Nitish Kumar To Be Sworn In For A Record 10th Time As Bihar Chief Minister

Nitish Kumar will be sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar on Thursday, November 20, 2025, for a record tenth term. The ceremony will take place in the afternoon at Gandhi Maidan.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar will administer the oath at Raj Bhavan in Patna. The ceremony will include top leaders of the Janata Dal (United), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners. Amit Shah and JP Nadda arrived in Patna early in the morning for the event.

Security has been tightened across the capital ahead of the event, and invitations have been sent to senior national figures.

The swearing-in follows the NDA’s thumping victory in the November 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The NDA secured a clear majority in the 243-member House. 

According to official election data, this was the most polled election in Bihar’s history. NDA and JDU leaders say the results show a voter mandate for continuity and for Nitish’s leadership over the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.

The oath ceremony is seen as the capstone of Nitish Kumar’s journey. First sworn in as Chief Minister in 2000, he has seen dramatic turns, including exiting and rejoining the NDA and forming and dissolving partnerships with the RJD. With this tenth oath, Nitish ranks among India's longest-serving state leaders, surpassing many contemporaries in resilience and relevance.

JD(U) leaders said final Cabinet consultations continued late into Wednesday night. Portfolios are likely to reflect political arithmetic and the alliance’s main governance priorities, such as infrastructure, social welfare, and law and order. JD(U) insiders say representation will be balanced across regions and key caste groups. This balance has been a hallmark of Nitish’s strategy for two decades. The BJP is expected to hold several crucial ministries, underscoring the coalition nature of the government.

Although the NDA won comfortably, the RJD and its allies have signalled strong opposition. On Wednesday, RJD leaders said they will challenge the government on unemployment, price rise, and rural distress, issues still central to Bihar’s socio-economic landscape. The RJD also questioned Nitish’s ideological shifts, reminding voters of his frequent realignments.

Traditionally, NDA Chief Ministers, senior BJP office bearers, and allies from neighbouring states participate. Tight security arrangements have been put in place around Raj Bhavan, with Patna Police deploying additional units and implementing traffic diversions.

Ahead of the ceremony, Nitish visited Mahavir Mandir and offered prayers, a gesture he has maintained on the eve of major political milestones. Senior JD(U) leaders accompanied him, framing the moment as both a personal achievement and a milestone in Bihar’s political history. Nitish enters the next phase of governance amid renewed expectations. The Chief Minister has previously spoken about focusing on women’s empowerment, educational reforms, and infrastructure expansion. The administration is also expected to push for enhanced central assistance for major road and irrigation works, reflecting the NDA’s “double engine” government.