Nitish Kumar

Earlier this year in January, Nitish Kumar once again resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar. His party Janata Dal (United), severed ties with Lalu Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He staked claim to form the next government, with the BJP as the new alliance partner and became the Bihar CM for a record ninth time. Last time, Nitish resigned on August 9, 2022, and took over as chief minister a day later. That government survived for 537 days.  

Nitish Kumar’s political career has been marked by his ability to form and break alliances, his focus on good governance in Bihar, and his potential as a national leader in Indian politics.

Key Details:

1. Early Life and Education:
   
   
   
   • Nitish Kumar was born on March 1, 1951, in Bakhtiarpur, Bihar. He studied at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Patna, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering.
   
   
   • Before entering politics, he briefly worked in the Bihar State Electricity Board.
   
   
   
   


2. Political Career:
   
   
   
   • Nitish Kumar began his political career in the 1970s during the JP Movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan, a mass protest against the Indira Gandhi-led government.
   
   
   • He became a member of the Lok Sabha (the lower house of India’s Parliament) in 1989, representing the Janata Dal. Over the years, he held various ministerial portfolios in the central government, including Railways, Agriculture, and Surface Transport.
   
   
   • Kumar later became the face of the Janata Dal (United), which was formed in 1999 after splitting from the original Janata Dal.
   
   
   
   


3. Chief Minister of Bihar:
   
   
   
   • Nitish Kumar first became the Chief Minister of Bihar in 2005. He is credited with transforming Bihar’s governance model by focusing on infrastructure development, law and order, and social welfare schemes.
   
   
   • His tenure saw improvements in the state’s road network, education system, and healthcare, earning him praise for Bihar’s turnaround from being one of India’s most underdeveloped states.
   
   
   • Nitish Kumar has been in and out of the Chief Minister’s office multiple times, due to political alliances and differences, but has held the position for several terms, the most recent starting in November 2020.
   
   
   
   


4. Political Ideology:
   
   
   
   • Nitish Kumar is known for his centrist and secular stance, balancing economic development with social welfare. He advocates for inclusive growth, focusing on marginalized sections such as women, backward castes, and minorities.
   
   
   • He has championed prohibition in Bihar, banning the sale and consumption of alcohol in 2016, a move aimed at improving public health and reducing crime, though it has had mixed results.
   
   
   
   


5. Alliance Politics:
   
   
   
   • Nitish Kumar has frequently switched political alliances between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the opposition parties, primarily the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Indian National Congress (INC).
   
   
   • His partnership with the BJP helped him form the government in Bihar for several terms, but he has also distanced himself from them on issues like communalism and governance style. He broke ties with the BJP in August 2022 and allied again with Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD.
   
   
   
   


6. Governance and Challenges:
   
   
   
   • While Nitish Kumar is praised for infrastructure development and improving law and order, he has also faced criticism for economic stagnation, particularly in terms of job creation and industrial development in Bihar.
   
   
   • His decision to impose prohibition has drawn controversy due to its impact on state revenue and alleged enforcement failures.
   
   
   
   


7. National Ambitions:
   
   
   
   • Nitish Kumar is often considered a potential prime ministerial candidate, particularly in coalition governments. He has positioned himself as a key leader in opposition alliances that aim to counter the BJP at the national level.
   
   
   
   


8. Personal Life: Nitish Kumar leads a simple lifestyle and is known for his austere public image. His wife, Manju Sinha, passed away in 2007. He has one son, Nishant Kumar, who stays out of the political limelight.