NDA has swept the Bihar 2025 election, which also means Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to take oath again, making this his fifth consecutive term. But because the BJP has seen a dramatic surge in its seats this time, rumours are naturally surfacing about whether the party might want its own face to replace Kumar.
With the NDA crossing the 200-seat mark, the numbers left enough room for people to wonder — Could the BJP form a government without the JD(U)? And Bihar’s politics has never been short on surprises.
Will Nitish Kumar remain the Chief Minister of Bihar?
Speaking to Jansatta, Dharmendra Pradhan, the man credited with shaping the BJP’s winning strategy in Bihar, decided to take the suspense out of the situation. He clarified the party’s stance, saying the NDA is solid and Nitish Kumar is still the biggest leader in the alliance. When asked whether Nitish Kumar will again take the CM oath, Pradhan said the NDA will form the government, and it will be the Chief Minister who decides who becomes a minister and who doesn’t.
He was again pressed on whether the BJP should now put forward its own Chief Minister’s face, especially after such a strong performance. Pradhan brushed that away, saying there should be no confusion. He reminded that the Prime Minister himself had called it an “NDA victory, not a BJP-only win.” The campaign, he added, was run on the combined strength of the Modi–Nitish alliance.
In other words, there is no backdoor math and no separate arrangement Pradhan’s statement suggests, Nitish Kumar’s position is secure. If he wants to remain Chief Minister, he will. And if he prefers to name someone else, that too will be his call.
After the counting ended, BJP stood at 89 seats. Its allies, LJP with 19, HAM with 5 and RLSP with 4, together they secured 117 seats. That’s just five less than the 122 needed for majority. Meanwhile, the JD(U), managed to win 85 seats this time. The BSP and Indian Exclusive Party added one seat each.
What this win means for BJP nationally
In the same interview, Pradhan said the victory has boosted the party’s confidence, especially in terms of the political battles ahead. He mentioned that the Prime Minister has already given the BJP responsibility for West Bengal next, and the focus will also shift to Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Assam.
On November 14, NDA won 202 out of 243 seats. The RJD had a difficult election, winning only 25 seats compared to 75 in 2020. Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party contested almost the entire state but didn’t win a single seat. Congress fought hard for more seats but ended up with 61, and still won only six.