Patna (Bihar) [India], November 20 : In a grand ceremony held at Gandhi Maidan, Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record 10th time today.
Reacting to his father's swearing-in, Nishant Kumar, son of Nitish Kumar, congratulated him and the public for this honour.
"I congratulate my father for taking the oath as the CM the 10th time. The public gave us more than expected. I thank and also congratulate the public," Nishant said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the venue to attend the ceremony, which also saw Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha take oath as Deputy Chief Ministers.
Senior NDA leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and others, were present.
At Gandhi Maidan, BJP leader Vijay Sinha praised the people's mandate as he reached the venue for the ceremony. Celebrations echoed across Patna as leaders from across the country hailed the NDA's victory.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said, "There is a joyous atmosphere in Bihar. The people of Bihar have rejected 'jungle raj' and accepted 'vikas raj'." BJP MLA-elect and singer Maithili Thakur called the day a "grand festival".
Union Minister Nityanand Rai asserted that the new government would stand by its commitments. "NDA will fulfil its promises; the people of Bihar have shown their trust in Nitish Kumar... And the Prime Minister's visit here is a matter of pride for us."
Furthermore, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said Bihar was set for massive progress, stating, "NDA has formed its government in Bihar under the leadership of PM Modi... Bihar will progress at a massive speed."
LJP(RV) chief Chirag Paswan called it an emotional day for his party and remembered his late father, Ram Vilas Paswan.
He said, "On this day, I remember my father, Ram Vilas Paswan. He would have been most happy today...We secured a big victory. We will work on war-footing to make Bihar a developed state and keep Bihar first and Biharis first."
Several other leaders extended congratulations, praising the mandate and Nitish Kumar's long-standing leadership. Rajasthan Deputy CM Diya Kumari said the NDA's victory reflected Nitish Kumar's consistent work for the people, while Prem Chand Bairwa thanked PM Modi.
Rajasthan Deputy CM Diya Kumari said, "The efforts of Nitish Kumar ji and the way he worked continuously for the people of the state are the reasons why NDA is forming its government here again. I congratulate them."
Rajasthan Deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa says, "I thank PM Modi...I congratulate the people of Bihar and the people of the country."
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu said Bihar would play a crucial role in the country's future development, asserting, "This is India's century, and in this direction, Bihar will play a crucial role. NDA is sweeping all elections, and this trend will continue. Nitish Kumar is the CM now. He has a very good experience. Now, even Bihar will develop in future. This is India's century, and in this direction, Bihar will play a crucial role."
From Madhya Pradesh to Kerala, leaders echoed the sentiment that Bihar had voted decisively for development and stability. MP Minister Vishvas Sarang said the mandate reflected the people's trust in the "double-engine government," and Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar added that Bihar's progress under NDA had inspired confidence across states.
Sarang said, "Nitish Kumar's oath-taking ceremony is not only the NDA victory but also the victory of Bihar's people. This is the victory of Nitish Kumar's leadership and the NDA's double-engine government. Bihar's mandate proves the people's trust and faith in the NDA government. Good governance and development are people's paramount needs. In the future, Bihar will play a major role in the development of the country."
BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, "On behalf of every worker of BJP Kerala, I congratulate Nitish Kumar for this responsibility that the people of Bihar have continued to give him and continue to have tremendous confidence in him and the NDA government to continue the progress that has been made over the last several decades in development, opportunities, and especially in safety and law and order."
Additionally, MLA Rameshwar Sharma added, "Those who indulge in dirty politics should understand that the country is now heading towards rapid development. People want growth above caste and religious politics. PM Modi's leadership is widely accepted, and Bihar is a living example of that. Nitish Kumar's commitment to Bihar's growth and development is the reason why he is taking the oath for the 10th time as Chief Minister."
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who was appointed as the central observer for the election of the Legislature Party Leader in Bihar, proposed the names of both leaders, and the remaining MLAs supported the proposal.
The 2025 Bihar Assembly polls were considered as the litmus test for Nitish Kumar, who has managed to steer the politics of Bihar around him in every election over the past 20 years.
The 74-year-old Nitish Kumar has been Chief Minister since November 2005, with a brief nine-month gap in 2014-15
The Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar has staked a claim to form the government in Bihar after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) swept 202 assembly constituencies.