Nitish Kumar returns as Bihar Chief Minister for seventh time in 20 years, gets two deputy CMs

JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the seventh time in two decades.

Nitish Kumar was on Monday sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the seventh time in two decades, in presence of top leaders of the NDA including Union Home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda. Kumar, who heads the JD(U), was administered the oath of office at Raj Bhavan by Governor Phagu Chauhan.

This comes a day after he staked a claim for the formation of a new government in the state, armed with the unanimous support of all legislators of the NDA despite his party's plummeted tally.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi took oath as the Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar. JDU leaders Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Vijendra Prasad Yadav, Ashok Choudhary, and Mewa Lal Choudhary take oath as Cabinet Ministers of Bihar. 

Santosh Kumar Suman, son of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi and Mukesh Sahni of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) take oath as a Cabinet Minister of Bihar. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Mangal Pandey and Amarendra Pratap Singh take oath as Bihar Cabinet Ministers.

The 69-year-old, who has had a continuous run since November 2005, except for the period in 2014-15 when Jitan Ram Manjhi kept the chair warm for him, is on course to becoming the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state, surpassing the record of Shrikrishna Singh who held the top post since before Independence till his death in 1961.

Kumar was first sworn in as CM in 2000, for a term that lasted barely a week as he failed to muster a majority and returned as a minister at the Centre in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

Five years later, he returned with the JD(U)-BJP alliance winning a majority and upon completion of his tenure returned in 2010 when the coalition won a landslide victory in the assembly polls. He stepped down in May 2014, owning moral responsibility for the JD(U)s debacle in Lok Sabha polls, only to return in February 2015 when a rebellious Manjhi was elbowed out.

In November 2015, the assembly polls were fought and won by the Grand Alliance which then comprised JD(U), Lalu Prasad's RJD and Congress with Kumar back as the Chief Minister. He, however, abruptly exited the alliance in July 2017, citing irreconcilable differences with the RJD and resigned as Chief Minister only to return in less than 24 hours armed with the support of the BJP.