Bihar to Begin New Journey of Development: Nitish Kumar

JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar (PTI)

He extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all Biharis on the occasion of his oath taking ceremony

Patna: Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar on Thursday November 20, 2025 said he will take oath at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna, pledging that “Bihar will embark on a new journey of development.”

Sharing a post on X, Kumar said, “I, Nitish Kumar, swear by God… This sentence is a symbol of the unwavering faith and self-confidence of crores of Biharis. Today, from the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna, this voice will echo once again, and Bihar will embark on a new journey of development.

He extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all Biharis on the occasion. “On this historic oath-taking occasion, heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all Biharis,” the post read.

Earlier in the day, the JD(U) shared a post on X asserting that “history is about to be made in Bihar” today and that the moment would be a “pride for all Biharis.” The party said Bihar will write “another new chapter of development” as Nitish Kumar takes oath again.

The oath-taking ceremony in the heart of Patna is set to be attended by senior NDA leaders, party workers and citizens, marking the beginning of the government’s renewed focus on development and governance.

Several leaders, including Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, were seen arriving at Patna airport to attend the ceremony.

Nitish Kumar is set to take oath as Bihar Chief Minister for a record 10th time today at the historic Gandhi Maidan, which also hosted his swearing-ins in 2005, 2010 and 2015. The venue is also known for Jayaprakash Narayan’s landmark 1974 “total revolution” call.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other prominent NDA leaders are expected to attend the ceremony. The PM had skipped the swearing-in ceremony in 2020.

Chief Ministers of various NDA-ruled states are also expected to be present.

Nitish Kumar was first elected leader of the JD(U) Legislature Party during a meeting with new MLAs at his residence yesterday. He was also unanimously chosen as the leader of the NDA Legislature Party ahead of the government formation.

Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were elected leader and deputy leader of the BJP Legislature Party respectively, during a meeting at the BJP state headquarters. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, serving as central observer, proposed their names.

The 2025 Bihar Assembly election was considered a litmus test for Nitish Kumar, who has remained central to Bihar’s political landscape for over two decades. The 74-year-old has been Chief Minister since 2005, with a brief gap in 2014–15.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Patna last evening and was welcomed by BJP National President JP Nadda, Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal and other leaders.

The JD(U) supremo staked claim to form the government after the NDA swept 202 assembly constituencies. He met Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Wednesday and submitted his resignation before returning as CM.

The NDA registered a historic landslide victory, winning 202 of 243 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan secured only 35. This is the second time the NDA has crossed the 200-seat mark, the first being in 2010 with 206 seats.

Within the NDA, the BJP won 89 seats, JD(U) 85, LJPRV 19, HAMS five and Rashtriya Lok Morcha four. Among opposition parties, the RJD won 25 seats, Congress six, CPI(ML)(L) two, IIP one and CPI(M) one. AIMIM secured five seats and BSP one.

The elections, held in two phases on November 6 and 11, saw a historic 67.13 per cent voter turnout — the highest since 1951 — with women voting in larger numbers than men (71.6 per cent vs 62.8 per cent).

( Source : ANI )