Nitish Kumar, the 7-time Bihar CM: A look at his journey from Engineer to 'Sushasan Babu'

"I have never claimed stake for CM post", said 69-year-old Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, after NDA won 125 seats in recently concluded 2020 Bihar polls, ushering in Nitish Kumar's 7th term as Bihar's Chief Minister. JDU chief, whose party won only 43 seats - down from 71 in 2015, has also been elected as NDA legislative leer. Nitish - kwn as Bihar's 'Sushasan Babu' - is set to be sworn-in as 23rd Bihar Chief Minister on Monday, after NDA staked claim to form next government.

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Engineer to 'Sushasan Babu'

Nitish Kumar was born on 1 March 1951 in  Bakhtiarpur, Bihar to Ayurvedic practitioner  Kaviraj Ram Lakhan and Parmeshwari Devi. After completing mechanical engineering from NIT Patna, Nitish Kumar briefly worked in state electricity board before joining active politics during Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) movement. 

Nitish's peer - Lalu Yav, who was Patna University Student Union President h joined JP movement in 1974 winning 1977 Lok Sabha election from Chapra at of 29. Being jailed for 19 months during Emergency with several Bihar-based politicians, a new set of political leers like Lalu Pras Yav, Nitish Kumar, Sushil Modi, and Shivanand Tiwari were born, sharing same set of principle as ir mentor JP. While Lalu Yav quit from Janata Party to found RJD in 1980 amid in-fighting, Nitish Kumar went on to le it. 

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National politics 

Nitish won his first elected to state assembly for first time from Harnaut in 1985. While Nitish h initially backed Lalu Pras Yav as Leer of Opposition in assembly in 1989, he switched loyalty to BJP in 1996 after winning his first Lok seat from Barh. Joining Vajpayee government, Nitish was briefly served as Union Minister for Railways, Minister for Surface Transport, and Minister for Agriculture. After Gaisal train crash (2 August 1999), he resigned as Union Minister of Railways. 

After resigning as Bihar CM, Nitish returned to national politics - rejoining as Union Cabinet as Minister for Agriculture and was me Union Railway minister from 2001-2004. During his tenure as Union Minister for Railways, was kwn for reforms including internal ticket booking facility (2002) and Tatkal scheme for instant booking of tickets.

Nitish Kumar elected NDA legislature party leer; to take oath as Bihar's CM on Monday

Nitish's CM stints

• 1st stint: In March 2000, Nitish was elected as CM for first time - but lasted a bare seven days after NDA (151 seats) and RJD (159 seats) failed to prove a majority in 324-seat Bihar assembly. Nitish resigned from CM post. This led to Rabri Devi become Bihar's CM -lasting from 2000-2005.

• 2nd stint: After winning 2005 elections, Nitish was sworn in as CM for 2nd time. During his first full tenure as CM, he flagged initiated bicycle program - giving bicycles to girls who stayed in school to reduce school drop out rates He was also credited with school meal programs to enhance school children's nutrition.

• 3rd stint: Nitish along with BJP was re-elected in 2010, with alliance winning 206 seats, while RJD bagged 22 - ushering his third term.

• 4th stint: After resigning as CM in 2014, in face of huge Lok Sabha defeat, in February 2015, Nitish kumar was sworn-in as CM for fourth time,  just nine months after he h resigned.

• 5th stint: Breaking ties with NDA after Narendra Modi was named Prime Ministerial candidate in 2013, Nitish buried his hatchet with Lalu Yav and contested under aegis of Mahagathgandhan in 2015 polls. Bucking Modi wave across India, Mahagathbandhan - n comprising of RJD, JDU and Congress won 178 seats - ushering Nitish Kumar's fourth term as CM. This alliance did t last for more than two years, when Nitish Kumar demanded n-deputy CM Tejashwi Yav's resignation after he was accused of corruption. He too resigned from CM post, but soon returned.

• 6th stint: On 27 July 2017, Nitish Kumar returned to his old ally - BJP and was sworn in as CM with BJP's Sushil Modi as his deputy CM. His latest stint has been marked with law and order, access to tap water, better ros and electricity.

• 7th stint: Banking on his 15-year consecutive term, eyeing ar term, Nitish Kumar flaunted his '7 promises', listing various schemes and development work carried out by his government in past tenures during poll campaign. After NDA mand to eke out a majority winning 125 seats, compared to Mahagathbandhan's 110 seats, Kumar is w all set to take oath as Bihar chief minister for seventh time.

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