Nine Terms, Endless Shifts: In Bihar, “Kursi Kumar” Nitish and His Never-Ending Game of Thrones

Over the years, he has been mocked as “Paltu Chacha,” labelled “Kursi Kumar,” and even dismissed as “mentally unstable.” Yet Nitish Kumar – Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister – has remained politically invincible despite the ridicule. One of India’s most resilient political survivors, he now appears set for a record-breaking eleventh term as Chief Minister. No modern Indian leader has changed sides as frequently as he has, and still, no one has managed to dislodge him from Bihar’s top seat.

Since taking charge in 2005, the 74-year-old leader has outlasted every alliance and outplayed every opponent. Whether partnered with the NDA or the Mahagathbandhan, Nitish Kumar has always been the most sought-after ally – a combination of his “Sushasan Babu” image, a strong Extremely Backward Class (EBC) base, and an extraordinary record of winning every assembly election he contested since 2005.

Even as alliances around him crumbled, reshaped, and realigned, Nitish stayed firm. His story is one of calculated pragmatism, ideological agility, and a single-minded pursuit of political relevance in one of India’s toughest political battlegrounds. From being celebrated as the architect of Bihar’s turnaround to becoming the internet’s favourite meme for his political U-turns, Nitish Kumar has lived through every shade of public perception.

Multiple Switches, One Constant: Nitish

Nitish Kumar entered the Assembly in 1985 as a Janata Dal leader. Initially close to Lalu Prasad Yadav, he supported Lalu’s rise as Leader of the Opposition in 1989. But cracks soon emerged as Nitish and other leaders became wary of Lalu’s dominance.

In 1994, Nitish quietly masterminded one of the earliest major rebellions against Lalu. Under George Fernandes’s leadership, 14 MPs split from the Janata Dal to form Janata Dal (George). While Fernandes was the guiding voice, Nitish was the chief strategist. This outfit soon transformed into the Samata Party – Nitish’s first definitive break from Lalu.

His next major shift came in 1996, when he joined hands with the BJP, creating a long, often turbulent yet crucial alliance. Between 1998 and 2004, Nitish held significant roles in the Vajpayee government, most notably as Railway Minister, gaining recognition for administrative competence.

Backed by the BJP-led NDA, he made his first bid for the CM’s post in 2000. But the government collapsed in just seven days – a brief setback in what would soon become a long reign.

In 2005, he staged a dramatic comeback, ending Lalu’s 15-year rule and ushering in what many call Bihar’s “reconstruction era.” For the next nine years, Nitish was unchallenged.

But political turbulence soon returned. In 2013, he stunned both his party and the nation by severing ties with the BJP after Narendra Modi was announced as the NDA’s prime ministerial face. The breakup shook his government and ushered in fresh instability, driven by political calculation and ideological signalling.

By 2015, Nitish had crafted one of the most remarkable political rebounds in India. He reunited with Lalu Prasad to form the Mahagathbandhan, returning to the alliance he once rebelled against. Together, they projected a united secular front and swept to power with a massive mandate. Nitish regained the chair – but peace was short-lived.

In 2017, Nitish executed the most dramatic U-turn of his career. He abandoned the Mahagathbandhan overnight and rejoined the BJP, his former rival. With the NDA’s backing, he became CM again – cementing his status as India’s undisputed master of political reversals.

But the carousel kept spinning. In 2022, he once again deserted the NDA and returned to the Mahagathbandhan, accusing the BJP of attempting to divide the JD(U). Relief mixed with anxiety as his allies welcomed him back, unsure of how long this chapter would last.

Not surprisingly, the alliance lasted barely two years. In 2024, he returned to the NDA once again ahead of the general elections. Critics mocked it as predictable; supporters called it practical. Nitish, as always, framed it as a move taken “for Bihar’s interest.”

And in 2025, his calculations proved right once more. With another victory behind him, he prepared to take oath for the eleventh time – an achievement unmatched outside the Northeast. The turbulence, the switches, the overnight resignations – nothing stopped him. If anything, each reversal only affirmed one truth: in Bihar’s political theatre, Nitish Kumar is the ultimate survivor, always finding his way back to power.

In any other political landscape, such frequent shifts might have ended a leader’s career. But in Bihar, every coalition preferred having Nitish by their side rather than facing him across the aisle. And he used that leverage to secure his throne again and again.

A Glance at Nitish Kumar’s Political Timeline

1985: Elected to Bihar Assembly
1989: Supports Lalu Prasad as Leader of the Opposition
1994: Engineers Janata Dal (George) revolt; Samata Party formed
1996: Aligns with BJP
1998–2004: Serves in key ministries in Vajpayee government
2000: Becomes CM for the first time; resigns within 7 days
2003: Samata Party merges with Janata Dal (United)
2005: Returns as CM with BJP’s support, ending Lalu’s 15-year rule
2010: Wins again, continues as CM
2013: Breaks alliance with BJP
2015: Forms Mahagathbandhan with Lalu, congress; becomes CM
2017: Returns to NDA; becomes CM again
2020: NDA retains power; JD(U) weakens, Nitish still becomes CM
2022: Exits NDA; rejoins Mahagathbandhan
2024: Leaves Mahagathbandhan; returns to NDA; becomes CM again
2025: Wins again; set for record tenth oath-taking

A Promise – and the Latest Flip

Nitish Kumar’s warm public remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi after returning to the NDA in 2024 were widely read as political damage control, given his past record of abrupt walkouts.

“You had come earlier too, but I had vanished,” he told PM Modi at an event. “But now I am with you. I won’t go anywhere. I will stay with you.”

Whether this commitment holds remains uncertain.

Nitish Kumar’s political life has been built on never shutting any door and always securing a seat – no matter which side of the table he sits on.

But as he begins his tenth term, one fact stands firm: Nitish Kumar remains the undefeated king of political survival in Bihar’s long-running game of thrones.