Discover when Nitish Kumar last won a Bihar assembly election and his unique political journey. Will he contest the upcoming 2024 Bihar Assembly elections?
Veteran politician Nitish Kumar continues to be a dominant force in Bihar’s political landscape. Known for holding the record as the state’s Chief Minister eight times, Nitish’s political journey is unique in many ways. His first term as CM began in 2000, and his most recent tenure ended in January 2024 after he rejoined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). As Bihar prepares for the crucial two-phase assembly elections scheduled for November 6 and 11, political activity has intensified, with parties finalizing alliances, seat-sharing arrangements, and candidate lists.
Nitish Kumar’s Distinctive Electoral History
Despite serving multiple terms as Bihar’s Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar has an unusual electoral track record. Remarkably, during none of his terms as CM has he directly contested or won an assembly election. Instead, Nitish has typically been a member of the Bihar Legislative Council, which has allowed him to hold office without contesting assembly polls.
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The last time Nitish Kumar won an assembly election was way back in 1995, when he contested from the Harnaut Assembly Constituency in Nalanda district. Running on a Samata Party ticket, he defeated Vishwa Mohan Chaudhary of the Janata Party. Prior to this victory, Nitish also won the 1985 Bihar Assembly election from the same Harnaut seat on a Lok Dal ticket, defeating Congress candidate Virjnandan Prasad Singh.
Following his assembly victories, Nitish shifted focus to national politics and represented the Barh Lok Sabha constituency for five consecutive terms (1989, 1991, 1996, 1998, and 1999). However, Barh ceased to exist after the delimitation exercise. In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, he contested from two seats, Barh and Nalanda, losing the former but winning from Nalanda.
Will Nitish Kumar Contest the 2024 Assembly Elections?
As Bihar gears up for the November polls, a pressing question remains: will Nitish Kumar contest an assembly seat this time? Historically, Nitish has preferred the safer legislative council route over the uncertainty of direct electoral contests. Moreover, the NDA has yet to officially announce him as the chief ministerial candidate for Bihar’s upcoming elections.
Given his advancing age and long political career, Nitish Kumar might choose to avoid the electoral risk associated with contesting an assembly seat directly. Strategically, he may continue to rely on his party’s machinery and alliance strength to retain power without stepping into the electoral fray again.
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