Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving CM, has never contested a state assembly election directly. Instead, he has continuously chosen the Legislative Council route to hold office. Despite this, he has maintained political dominance, serving as Bihar’s CM since 2005.
Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, has never been a regular contestant in state assembly elections. Despite having held the state’s top position for over 18 years, he has chosen an unconventional route to remain in power, by becoming a member of the Legislative Council (MLC) rather than directly contesting assembly seats. This choice has been a defining feature of his political career and has sparked much discussion over the years.
A History of Limited Direct Elections
Nitish Kumar’s electoral journey began in 1977, when he contested his first Bihar Assembly election. He ran in three consecutive elections in 1977, 1980 and 1985, winning only once in 1985. However, after his win in 1985, he shifted his focus from state-level politics to national politics. Over the years, he contested six Lok Sabha elections between 1989 and 2004, successfully securing a seat in Parliament from Barh in 1989. His long tenure in the Lok Sabha included holding the Barh seat for four consecutive terms.
In the 2004 general elections, he contested both Barh and Nalanda, winning only Nalanda and marking the last time he personally contested an election. Despite this, his political influence continued to grow and in 2005, Nitish assumed the role of Chief Minister of Bihar.
Avoiding Direct Assembly Elections
What sets Nitish Kumar apart from many other politicians is his deliberate choice to avoid contesting the Bihar Assembly elections directly. Instead of contesting for an assembly seat, he consistently took the Legislative Council (MLC) route, a path that allowed him to retain power while bypassing the need for direct election to the Bihar Legislative Assembly.
When Nitish first assumed the CM post in 2000, he was not an MLA, and within eight days, he resigned because he could not secure an assembly seat. This situation did not recur in 2005, as he took office once again as Chief Minister without holding a legislative seat, subsequently getting elected to the Bihar Legislative Council.
In 2012, after completing his first term as MLC, Nitish Kumar defended his choice of the Legislative Council, stating, ‘I chose to become an MLC by choice and not because of any compulsion, as the Upper House is a respectable institution.’ This statement reflected his view that the Legislative Council provided a platform for more broad-based political engagement, allowing him to focus on governance without being bound to a single constituency.
The Role of the Legislative Council in Bihar
Bihar is one of the six states in India that has a Legislative Council, which provides a mechanism for ministers to hold office without being directly elected through the state assembly. This makes it possible for the Chief Minister, like Nitish Kumar, to serve without being an MLA, as long as they are elected to the Legislative Council within a reasonable timeframe.
Nitish Kumar’s first term as an MLC ended in 2012, and he was re-elected, securing his position until 2018. During his tenure as Chief Minister, he chose to focus on his administrative duties while serving as an MLC, a decision he continued to follow in subsequent years. In 2018, he was re-elected to the Legislative Council for a third consecutive term, which lasted until 2024. His re-election in March 2024 ensured that he will continue to serve in the Legislative Council until 2030.
Nitish’s Reasons for Not Contesting the Assembly
Nitish Kumar has consistently stated that his decision not to contest the assembly elections is a matter of personal choice, not political compulsion. In January 2012, speaking at the centenary celebrations of the Bihar Legislative Council, he reaffirmed that his decision was based on his belief in the importance of the Upper House and the wider political opportunities it provided.
In 2015, ahead of the state assembly elections, Nitish clarified again that he would not contest the assembly polls, citing his desire to avoid limiting his focus to one seat. This statement reinforced his long-standing preference for a broader political reach rather than tying himself to a specific constituency.
The 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections
The 2025 Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases: November 6 and November 11, with the vote counting scheduled for November 14. Despite his long tenure as Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar is not contesting the elections directly. Instead, his leadership continues to shape Bihar’s political landscape from the top as he remains a dominant force in state politics, even if not directly elected through the assembly.
Nitish Kumar’s refusal to contest assembly elections directly has been a defining feature of his political career, particularly in his role as Bihar’s Chief Minister. By choosing the Legislative Council route, Nitish has remained a prominent figure in Bihar’s politics while avoiding the need to contest individual assembly seats. His long tenure and political strategy underscore his focus on governance rather than personal electoral battles. With the upcoming 2025 elections, it will be interesting to see how his political journey continues to unfold in the state of Bihar.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: dnaindia.com
