Nitish Kumar: the last Gandhian will he be reelected?
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is the last Gandhian politician in India. Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was another Gandhian. But now, most contemporary politicians are totally distant from Gandhiji. In the last 20 years, India has seen how no Gandhian politician can be elected in India. Politics is a very tempting profession. Political success in India and developing countries mean you have un-limited power and access to wealth. But Nitish Kumar resisted such temptations.
The results of Bihar election on November 14, 2025, will determine whether Bihar will retire Gandhian Nitish Kumar or give him another chance. But if Nitish Kumar is re-elected, it means that Bihar is really a great thinking state.
Present day politicians:
1. Politicians by themselves are as good as anyone else. But Indian politics has entered a stage, where wealth, pomp and luxury at government expense is the rule. Politicians travel in huge conveys, chartered planes and never by train. Even after defeat, politicians manage to command the same kind of luxury as when they held office. Unless you have such trappings of wealth, even the people don’t think you are powerful. Who is to blame? The politicians or the people?
2. Dynasties in politics: When India got India, there were about 560 rajas. But now, entire India is controlled by 20 political dynasties or individuals. If these 20 people decide that you cannot become an MLA or MP, then you just cannot. That is the stranglehold that political dynasties have now got in India. Present day political chiefs are more powerful than any Raja during British rule.
3. In elections, our politicians spend huge sums of money which they earn illegally. The formula is that during elections huge sums must be spent. Everyone knows that elections are only money-spending festivals. That is how elections are won now in India.
4. Buy huge publicity as possible using government money for advertisements. Most South Indian politicians have their own newspapers, TV companies and social media factories.
Nitish Kumar is different
- No waste:
Nitish Kumar is perhaps the only chief Minister, other than the Northeast chief Ministers and maybe the Kerala Chief Minister, to not use charter planes for travel. Nitish Kumar does not waste government money or take favors from wealthy people for travel. That is the first sign of an honest politician. It is not only people who want “everything free”, but our politicians want everything free too
- No dynasty politics: Nitish Kumar has a son. But Nitish Kumar has kept his son and relatives out of politics. There is no dynasty politics with Nitish Kumar. How many politicians in India have not formed dynasties, except Naveen Patnaik of Odisha?
- No corruption: There is not a single charge or appearance of corruption against Nitish Kumar in his 50year career.
- Prohibition of liquor in Bihar: Nitish Kumar courageously imposed prohibition of liquor in Bihar, saying women are the biggest sufferers. Unlike Telugu states and Karnataka, Nitish Kumar refused to let revenue losses bother him.
Nitish Kumar changes allies on principle:
Nitish Kumar has been Chief minister from 2005 to 2025. Nitish Kumar changes political allies. But Niti9sh always had good reasons for such changes. But Nitish Kumar did so for good political reasons.
- In 2014, Nitish Kumar broke with the BJP alliance, as he did not want to associate with BJP, since Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister candidate.
- Nitish Kumar joined with Laloo Prasad for the 2015 Bihar elections and won and became chief Minister with Laloo’s son Tejaswi as deputy chief Minister. Then on July 30, 2017, suddenly Nitish Kumar resigned and ejected the Laloo Prasad Party, as huge scandals broke out against Laloo family. Nitish Kumar dumped Laloo Prasad and re-joined BJP.
- Nitish contested the 2020 assembly elections with BJP and became chief minister. But in August 2022, Nitish dumped the BJP and re-joined Laloo Prasad party. This was because the BJP became too dominating and insulted him.
- Nitish Kumar again left Laloo Prasad in December 2023 and re-joined the BJP alliance. This was because Laloo Prasad Yadav was pressuring him to resign and make his son Tejaswi chief Minister. Nitish shocked Laloo Prasad by returning to BJP Alliance in December 2023.
In each of these 3 instances where Nitish Kumar dumped allies, he took the right political decisions and taught political parties a lesson.
2025 elections:
Nitish Kumar faces severe anti-incumbency this time as he was chief minister continuously for 20 years. But the real issue is whether the Bihar will save the “last Gandhian in Indian politics “. There is no leader of Nitish Kumar’s stature in Bihar. Bihar is an un-usual, state with different culture and political values. There is always room in Bihar for supporting rebels. Nitish Kumar is a rebel as he does not follow the present political culture.
Nitish Kumar made the biggest contribution to Bihar. When Nitish Kumar became chief minister in 2005, there was “ jungle Raj “ or total lawlessness in Bihar. Nitish Kumar crushed down criminals and gangs. People of Bihar are aware of this fact. Nitish did small things which had great impact. Many chief ministers make big announcements ,which finally end up as zero. Nitish Kumar is different .
Great Greek philosopher Heraclitus said 2500 years ago: Change is the only constant “, meaning change always happens and no one can stop it.
Let us see if Gandhian Nitish Kumar can prove Greek Philosopher Heraclitus wrong and stop the clock.
(Author is a political analyst based in New Delhi)