Nitish Kumar sworn in as Bihar CM for record 10th time

Nitish Kumar’s journey began with Janata Dal, winning his first Assembly election in 1985

JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar took oath as the chief minister of Bihar for a record 10th time at Patna's historic Gandhi Maidan on Thursday. Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha also took oath as his deputies.

Nitish first became Chief Minister in 2000 for just seven days, but his political stature rose steadily after 2005. His continuous tenure since 2015 remains intact. In total, Nitish has governed Bihar for more than 19 years, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in the state’s history.

#WATCH | Senior NDA leaders, including Union HM Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel and others at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, where the swearing-in… pic.twitter.com/i1TAfaQoxW

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— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2025

The Congress also congratulated the CM.  While Pawan Khera hoped that the JD(U) chief doesn't suffer any 'dhoka' and is able to complete his full term, Rashid Alvi expressed apprehension that the BJP will not let him remain in the top post for the next five years.

As Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar will receive a salary, and he will also be entitled to a pension for his previous tenure as a Member of Parliament (MP). Upon stepping down from his role as Chief Minister, he will be eligible for a pension for his time as a legislator, thereby securing not one but two pensions post-retirement.

Additionally, he will benefit from the dearness allowance that is adjusted every six months. However, contrary to some expectations, Kumar will not receive ten times the pension despite his multiple terms as a legislator.

The swearing-in ceremony was  attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J P Nadda and several other top leaders of NDA. The event will also be attended by chief ministers of several NDA ruled states.

Kumar resigned as the Bihar CM on Wednesday and then staked claim before Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to form the new government.