Nitish Kumar‘s Record 10th Oath Ceremony
The chandeliers of Patna’s Raj Bhavan have witnessed this scene before. The hushed tones, the flurry of cameras, the familiar faces on the dais. And at the centre of it all, one man, a constant in the ever-shifting sands of Bihar’s politics: Nitish Kumar.
“I, Nitish Kumar, solemnly swear…”
The words, mandated by the Constitution, echoed through the hall on Sunday, but for a state that has seen it all, they carried an air of surreal déjà vu. For the record tenth time—a feat astonishing in any other state but simply another chapter in Bihar—Nitish Kumar took the oath of office as Chief Minister. Alongside him, BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers. The hand he shook after signing the register was that of the BJP, the very party he had dumped less than 18 months ago, labelling the alliance suffocating.
A Stunning Political U-Turn: From I.N.D.I.A. Bloc to NDA Fold
This latest political somersault, executed with the precision of a seasoned acrobat, has once again cemented his reputation as the undisputed ‘Paltu Ram’ of Indian politics. Just days ago, he was a key architect of the opposition’s I.N.D.I.A bloc, hosting meetings and positioning himself as a potential national convenor. Today, he stands firmly back in the NDA camp, flanked by BJP leaders who had, until recently, declared their doors “permanently closed” to him.
So, what prompted this dramatic U-turn? In his brief interaction with the media, Kumar stated that “things were not right” within the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD and the Congress. He claimed he had taken the decision “for the benefit of Bihar.”
The Political Calculus: Why Nitish and BJP Reunited
The timing of this switch is impossible to ignore. With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections looming, this is a calculated masterstroke of political survival.
For the BJP, swallowing its pride and rejoining forces with Nitish is a strategic compulsion. Bihar sends 40 MPs to the Lok Sabha, and the BJP knows that the combination of its own cadre, PM Modi’s appeal, and Nitish Kumar‘s command over the EBC (Extremely Backward Classes) vote bank is a formidable, election-winning formula.
For Nitish Kumar, the move is a classic power play. He may have seen his influence waning within the I.N.D.I.A alliance and felt increasingly sidelined by the RJD, whose leader Tejashwi Yadav was serving as his deputy. By realigning with the BJP, he not only secures his Chief Ministerial chair but also repositions himself with the ruling party at the Centre, ensuring the continuation of the “double-engine sarkar” narrative.
RJD Stunned, Tejashwi Yadav Vows ‘Game is Not Over’
Left in the lurch is a stunned RJD. Tejashwi Yadav, who put up a brave face, cryptically remarked, “The game is not over yet.” But the sense of betrayal is palpable. The alliance, forged in 2022 with grand promises of ousting the BJP, has collapsed under the weight of its own internal contradictions and Nitish Kumar’s unyielding ambition.
As Nitish Kumar begins his tenth innings, the questions facing Bihar are profound. Can a government born out of such stark political opportunism deliver stable governance? The voters of Bihar are once again left to wonder which promise holds true and which alliance will last until the next election. Today, the oath was taken, but in the whirlwind of Bihar politics, the only thing solemnly sworn to is impermanence.
