Written by Santosh SinghPatna | November 15, 2025 03:39 AM IST 4 min readAmid the Bihar leaders who rose out of the Jayaprakash Narayan movement, Nitish Kumar didn’t have the charisma of Lalu Prasad, the vote base of Ram Vilas Paswan, or the party organisation of the late Sushil Kumar Modi. On Friday, again defying the assumptions about him, the JD(U) supremo led his party to a spectacular win — nearly doubling its seats from 2020 — and ensuring that his 20-year unbroken run, making him Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, will continue.The run-up to the Assembly elections was marked by chatter about Nitish’s future. His government’s initiatives such as free electricity up to 125 units and a Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, under which Rs 10,000 was deposited into the accounts of more than 1 crore women as the first instalment, were seen as signs of desperation. Detractors said Nitish appeared to have ditched his opposition to freebies and direct doles, others talked about his failing health, and many more about the growing ambitions of partner BJP.Those close to Nitish, however, insisted that the impressions were misplaced. A source close to the CM House pointed out his “contributions” even in the electrical subsidy scheme, for example, such as suggesting solar panels on rooftops as an incentive. As the campaign kicked into gear, and Nitish took on the lion’s share of campaigning, addressing 84 public meetings, the murmurs about his health got overtaken by increasingly loud voices of endearment for the 74-year-old CM on the ground.Story continues below this adNowhere were those voices louder than among women, the biggest beneficiaries of the Nitish reign’s schemes. Even the large numbers unhappy about the lack of employment opportunities in Bihar, forcing its youth to migrate for work, made it a point to acknowledge Nitish’s “contributions”.The biggest contribution, by consensus, was Nitish’s work in taking Bihar out of the Lalu Prasad regime’s long shadow of “jungle raj” and “patronage in governance”. After taking over in 2005, Nitish worked first on getting the basics right: from law and order, to roads, schools and hospitals.This helped Nitish carve out a unique space for himself in a state where politics is determined by caste, and where his community — the Kurmis — comprises less than 4% of the population. Additionally, the JD(U) supremo carved out a base for himself of the Extremely Backward Classes — a subset of non-Yadav OBCs and Mahadalits, plus women, together adding up to more than 20% of the population.A JD(U) leader called the “caste-neutral constituency of women” Nitish’s biggest strength. His women schemes included, apart from free bicycles for girl students, 50% reservation in panchayats, prohibition and, now, the rojgar yojana. This election saw women shatter all voting records, beating men both in turnout and absolute numbers — putting the shadow cast by the SIR, which saw the deletion of more women voters than men, firmly aside.Story continues below this adThere was concern how an entire generation of voters, with no memory of the Lalu-Rabri regime, would vote and whether Nitish could convince them that he still was their best bet.The JD(U) highlighted the Nitish government’s measures in response, such as “an engineering college in each of the 38 districts”, “a Youth Commission to suggest measures to solve the problems of youth”; “a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 to those between 18 and 25 years of age for two years”.Now, as he prepares to be sworn in as CM for the 10th time, Nitish is visibly slowing down.As for his relationship with the BJP, which this time pressured the JD(U) into yielding the same seats to the party as it (101), sources say Nitish is secure. He is with the NDA after a series of switches, and, said a JD(U) source, he is here to stay.Story continues below this adIt is Nitish’s call whether he stays or chooses a replacement, if and when health becomes a challenge. For now, the Bhishma Pitamah prevails.Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:bihar election resultsPatna