Bihar, Oct 29 : As Bihar gears up for the 2025 Assembly elections, one of the most intriguing aspects of its politics remains unchanged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision not to contest the polls himself. Despite being the state’s longest-serving CM, Nitish has stayed away from direct Assembly battles for decades, choosing instead to enter the legislature through the Legislative Council route.
Nitish Kumar last served as an MLA in 1985. Since then, he has contested the Assembly elections only once in 1995 from Harnaut but chose not to retain the seat, opting instead to remain a Lok Sabha MP. His early political journey saw him contest three consecutive Bihar Assembly elections in 1977, 1980, and 1985, winning only once.
Afterward, Nitish turned his focus toward national politics, winning six consecutive Lok Sabha elections in 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2004. His first parliamentary victory came from Barh, a seat he held until 2004, when he also won from Nalanda. That was the last time he directly contested an election.
Why Nitish Prefers the Legislative Council Route
When Nitish Kumar first became Chief Minister in 2000, he wasn’t a member of either House and had to resign within eight days. In 2005, when he returned as CM, he again entered through the Legislative Council a pattern he has followed ever since.
Bihar is one of six Indian states with a Legislative Council, which allows ministers to serve without being directly elected as MLAs. Nitish’s terms as an MLC began in 2006 and have continued seamlessly since. He was re-elected to the Council in 2012, 2018, and most recently in March 2024, with his current tenure set to run until May 2030.
Defending his decision, Nitish has said that his choice to be an MLC was “by preference, not compulsion.” Speaking during the Council’s centenary celebrations in 2012, he remarked:
“I chose to become an MLC by choice and not because of any compulsion. The Upper House is a respectable institution.”
Ahead of the 2015 Assembly elections, Nitish clarified again that he would not personally contest any seat, saying he did not want to “limit his focus to one constituency” while leading the entire campaign.
A Constant Amid Political Shifts
Since first assuming office as Chief Minister in 2005, Nitish Kumar has weathered numerous political realignments from alliances with the BJP to partnerships with the RJD. Despite these shifts, his strategy of entering the Assembly via the Legislative Council has remained constant.
With the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections scheduled in two phases November 6 and November 11 and counting on November 14, Nitish’s unique political approach continues to set him apart from his contemporaries.