Nitish 10.0: the comeback nobody predicted but Bihar delivered

Nitish Kumar is set to take oath as Chief Minister for the tenth time after the NDA’s sweeping victory in the 2025 Bihar Assembly election, where the alliance secured 202 of 243 seats. His party, the Janata Dal (United), nearly doubled its 2020 tally, reaffirming his relevance in a state where critics often predicted his political sunset.

The context (how we got here)

Nitish Kumar’s political trajectory has been defined by tactical pivots — alliances formed, broken, and reformed across twenty years. After JD(U) fell to 43 seats in 2020, many saw it as the beginning of an irreversible decline. But the post–2024 parity-based seat-sharing formula with BJP — where both parties contested 101 seats each — restored stability to the NDA.

In the 2025 campaign, Nitish covered 184 public meetings in three weeks, reviving his grassroots presence. The NDA narrative foregrounded his governance brand — “Sushasan Babu” — alongside targeted welfare delivery for women and EBC communities. The result: the strongest pro-incumbency wave of his career.

The key players (who & so what)

Nitish Kumar – the central architect of the NDA campaign; his revival restored JD(U)’s electoral viability.

BJP leadership – backed Nitish despite internal discomfort; emerged as the largest party with 89 seats.

Tejashwi Yadav – projected himself as the youth alternative but failed to expand beyond RJD’s traditional MY base.

Prashant Kishor – his Jan Suraaj party contested 238 seats but won none, indirectly easing the NDA’s consolidation.

Nitish Kumar said, “This mandate reflects the people’s trust in our collective governance model.”

(Source: India Today)

The Bigstory Reframe

While most analyses call this Nitish’s “comeback,” the deeper shift is institutional, not personal. Bihar’s electorate rewarded predictability and administrative stability over charisma or confrontation. Nitish’s background as a technocrat — an electrical engineer turned policymaker — allowed him to position himself as the least disruptive choice in a politically volatile era.

The 2025 mandate isn’t simply a vote of nostalgia. It’s a vote for governance continuity.

The implications (why this changes things)

Even with a strong JD(U) performance, the BJP’s 89-seat lead rebalances internal power dynamics. Nitish begins his tenth term with revived legitimacy but greater dependence on the BJP’s legislative muscle. The next five years will determine whether this term becomes:

• the consolidation of his legacy, or
• the transition period for a future BJP-dominated leadership in Bihar.

Nationally, Nitish’s return strengthens the NDA’s narrative ahead of the 2026 cycle, especially as the opposition reels from defeats across states.

The closing question (now, think about this)

How many times can a leader reinvent himself before the system around him changes more than he does?

Sources

Times of India – Nitish Kumar set for 10th oath

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/nitish-kumar-the-10dulkar-of-bihar-politics-how-sushasan-cm-is-set-for-10th-oath-on-wave-of-pro-incumbency/articleshow/125340856.cms

India Today – Nitish Kumar set for record term

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/video/nda-sweeps-bihar-nitish-kumar-set-for-record-10th-term-as-chief-minister-ytvd-2820286-2025-11-15

Economic Times – NDA wave reshapes Bihar

https://economictimes.com/news/elections/assembly-elections/bihar/bihar-delivers-decisive-mandate-as-nda-wave-sweeps-opposition-aside/articleshow/125336171.cms

NDTV – Bihar results live

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bihar-assembly-elections-results-2025-live-updates-nitish-kumar-tejashwi-yadav-mahagathbandhan-bjp-nda-rjd-congress-9632014

India Today – Jan Suraaj, zero seats

https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/story/prashant-kishor-party-jan-suraaj-party-bihar-assembly-election-seats-2819567-2025-11-14

Wikipedia – 2025 Bihar legislative election

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Bihar_Legislative_Assembly_election