List of chief ministers of Bihar

The chief minister of Bihar is the chief executive of the Indian state of Bihar. As per the Constitution of India, the Governor of Bihar is the state's de jure head, but de facto executive authority rests with the chief minister. Following elections to the Bihar Legislative Assembly, the governor usually invites the party (or coalition) with a majority of seats to form the government. The governor appoints the chief minister, whose council of ministers are collectively responsible to the assembly. Given that he has the confidence of the assembly, the chief minister's term is for five years and is subject to no term limits.[1]

Chief Minister of Bihar
Incumbent
Nitish Kumar
since 22 February 2015
Government of Bihar
StyleThe Honourable (Formal)
Mr./Mrs. Chief Minister (Informal)
TypeHead of Government
StatusLeader of the Executive
AbbreviationCM
Member of
Reports to
Residence1, Aney Marg, Patna
SeatPatna Secretariat
NominatorMembers of the Government of Bihar in Bihar Legislative Assembly
AppointerGovernor of Bihar by convention based on appointees ability to command confidence in the Bihar Legislative Assembly
Term lengthAt the confidence of the assembly
Chief minister's term is for 5 years and is subject to no term limits.[1]
PrecursorPremier of Bihar
Inaugural holderShri Krishna Sinha
Formation26 January 1950 (1950-01-26)
DeputyDeputy Chief Minister of Bihar
Salary
  • 215,000 (US$2,700)/monthly
  • 2,580,000 (US$32,000)/annually
Websitecm.bihar.gov.in

From 1946, 23 people have been Chief Minister of Bihar. The inaugural holder was Sri Krishna Sinha of the Indian National Congress party, he also has the longest incumbency. The current incumbent is Nitish Kumar who is having incumbency since 22 February 2015.

Premiers of Bihar

The province of Bihar headquartered in Patna then comprised the present-day states Bihar and Jharkhand. On 1 April 1936, Bihar and Orissa became separate provinces by the partition of the province of Bihar and Orissa. Under the Government of India Act 1935, a bicameral legislature was set up with a legislative assembly and a legislative council with a government headed by the Premier.[2]

Key

Colour key for political parties

No.[lower-alpha 1] Portrait Name Term of Office Party
Took office Left office Tenure
1 Mohammad Yunus 1 April 1937 19 July 1937 109 days Muslim Independent Party
2 Shri Krishna Sinha 20 July 1937 31 October 1939 2 years, 103 days Indian National

Congress

(2) Shri Krishna Sinha 23 March 1946 14 August 1947 1 year, 144 days Indian National

Congress

Chief ministers of Bihar

Key
  • No.: Incumbent number
  • Assassinated or died in office
  • § Returned to office after a previous non-consecutive term
  • RES Resigned
  • NC Resigned following a no-confidence motion
No Portrait Name Constituency Term of office Tenure length Assembly (Election) Party[lower-alpha 2]
1 Sri Krishna Sinha Interim Government 15 August 1947 24 March 1952 13 years, 169 days Interim Government Indian National Congress
Basantpur 25 March 1952 24 February 1957 1st Assembly

(1952 election)

Sheikhpura 25 February 1957 31 January 1961 2nd Assembly

(1957 election

2 Deep Narayan Singh Hajipur 1 February 1961 18 February 1961 17 days
3 Binodanand Jha Rajmahal 18 February 1961 2 October 1963 2 years, 226 days 3rd Assembly

(1962 election)

4 K. B. Sahay Patna West 2 October 1963 5 March 1967 3 years, 154 days
5 Mahamaya Prasad Sinha Patna West 5 March 1967 28 January 1968 329 days 4th Assembly

(1967 election)

Jana Kranti Dal
6 Satish Prasad Singh Parbatta 28 January 1968 1 February 1968 5 days Shoshit Dal
7 B. P. Mandal MLC 1 February 1968 22 March 1968 51 days
8 Bhola Paswan Shastri Korha 22 March 1968 29 June 1968 100 days Indian National Congress
State Emblem of India Vacant[lower-alpha 3]
(President's rule)
N/A 29 June 1968 26 February 1969 242 days Dissolved N/A
9 Harihar Singh Nayagram 26 February 1969 22 June 1969 117 days 5th Assembly

(1969 election)

Indian National Congress
(8) Bhola Paswan Shastri Korha 22 June 1969 4 July 1969 13 days Indian National Congress (O)
State Emblem of India Vacant[lower-alpha 3] N/A 6 July 1969 16 February 1970 225 days N/A
10 Daroga Prasad Rai Parsa 16 February 1970 22 December 1970 310 days Indian National Congress
11 Karpoori Thakur Samastipur 22 December 1970 2 June 1971 163 days Socialist Party
(8) Bhola Paswan Shastri Korha 2 June 1971 9 January 1972 222 days Indian National Congress
State Emblem of India Vacant[lower-alpha 3] N/A 9 January 1972 19 March 1972 70 days Dissolved N/A
12 Kedar Pandey Nautan 19 March 1972 2 July 1973 1 year, 105 days 6th Assembly

(1972 election)

Indian National Congress
13 Abdul Ghafoor MLC 2 July 1973 11 April 1975 1 year, 283 days
14 Jagannath Mishra Jhanjharpur 11 April 1975 30 April 1977 2 years, 19 days
State Emblem of India Vacant[lower-alpha 3] N/A 30 April 1977 24 June 1977 55 days Dissolved N/A
(11) Karpoori Thakur Phulparas 24 June 1977 21 April 1979 1 year, 301 days 7th Assembly

(1977 election)

Janata Party
15 Ram Sundar Das Sonepur 21 April 1979 17 February 1980 302 days
State Emblem of India Vacant[lower-alpha 3] N/A 17 February 1980 8 June 1980 112 days N/A
(14) Jagannath Mishra Jhanjharpur 8 June 1980 14 August 1983 3 years, 67 days 8th Assembly

(1980 election)

Indian National Congress
16 Chandrashekhar Singh MLC 14 August 1983 12 March 1985 1 year, 210 days
17 Bindeshwari Dubey Shahpur 12 March 1985 13 February 1988 2 years, 338 days 9th Assembly

(1985 election)

18 Bhagwat Jha Azad MLC 14 February 1988 10 March 1989 1 year, 24 days
19 Satyendra Narayan Sinha MLC 11 March 1989 6 December 1989 270 days
(14) Jagannath Mishra Jhanjharpur 6 December 1989 10 March 1990 94 days
20 Lalu Prasad Yadav MLC 10 March 1990 28 March 1995 5 years, 18 days 10th Assembly

(1990 election)

Janata Dal
State Emblem of India Vacant[lower-alpha 3] N/A 28 March 1995 4 April 1995 7 days Dissolved N/A
(20) Lalu Prasad Yadav Raghopur 4 April 1995 25 July 1997 2 years, 112 days 11th Assembly

(1995 election)

Janata Dal
Rashtriya Janata Dal
21 Rabri Devi MLC 25 July 1997 11 February 1999 1 year, 201 days
State Emblem of India Vacant[lower-alpha 3]) N/A 11 February 1999 9 March 1999 26 days N/A
(21) Rabri Devi MLC 9 March 1999 2 March 2000 359 days Rashtriya Janata Dal
22 Nitish Kumar [lower-alpha 4] MLC 3 March 2000 10 March 2000 7 days 12th Assembly

(2000 election)

Samta Party
(21) Rabri Devi Raghopur 11 March 2000 6 March 2005 4 years, 360 days Rashtriya Janata Dal[4]
State Emblem of India Vacant[lower-alpha 3] N/A 7 March 2005 24 November 2005 262 days 13th Assembly
(Feb 2005 election)
N/A
(22) Nitish Kumar MLC 24 November 2005 26 November 2010 8 years, 177 days 14th Assembly
(Oct 2005 election)
Janata Dal (United)
26 November 2010 20 May 2014 15th Assembly

(2010 election)

23 Jitan Ram Manjhi Makhdumpur 20 May 2014 22 February 2015 278 days
(22) Nitish Kumar MLC 22 February 2015 Incumbent 8 years, 246 days
16th Assembly

(2015 election)

17th Assembly

(2020 election)

Statistics

List of chief ministers by length of term

Dr. Shri Krishna Singh held the record for the longest continuous term as the first Chief Minister of Bihar and maintained the longest term in office until 2023. However, Nitish Kumar later surpassed Dr. Shri Krishna Sinha's overall tenure, while Shri Krishna Sinha still holds the record for the longest continuous term.

No. Name Party Length of term
Longest continuous term Total years of premiership
1 Nitish Kumar JD(U) 8 years, 246 days 17 years, 56 days
2 Shri Krishna Sinha INC 14 years, 314 days 17 years, 52 days
3 Rabri Devi RJD 4 years, 360 days 7 year, 190 days
4 Lalu Prasad Yadav RJD 5 years, 18 days 7 years, 130 days
5 Jagannath Mishra INC 3 years, 67 days 5 years, 180 days
6 Krishna Ballabh Sahay INC 3 years, 154 days 3 years, 154 days
7 Bindeshwari Dubey INC 2 years, 338 days 2 years, 338 days
8 Binodanand Jha INC 2 years, 226 days 2 years, 226 days
9 Karpoori Thakur SP 1 year, 301 days 2 years, 98 days
10 Abdul Ghafoor INC 1 year, 283 days 1 year, 283 days
11 Chandrashekhar Singh INC 1 year, 210 days 1 year, 210 days
12 Kedar Pandey INC 1 year, 105 days 1 year, 105 days
13 Bhagwat Jha Azad INC 1 year, 24 days 1 year, 24 days
14 Mahamaya Prasad Sinha JKD 329 days 329 days
15 Daroga Prasad Rai INC 310 days 310 days
16 Ram Sundar Das JP 302 days 302 days
17 Jitan Ram Manjhi JD(U) 278 days 278 days
18 Satyendra Narayan Sinha INC 270 days 270 days
19 Harihar Singh INC 117 days 117 days
20 Bhola Paswan Shastri INC 99 days 112 days
21 Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal SSP 51 days 51 days
22 Deep Narayan Singh INC 17 days 17 days
23 Satish Prasad Singh SSP 5 days 5 days
Timeline
Jitan Ram ManjhiNitish KumarRabri DeviLalu Prasad YadavSatyendra Narayan SinhaBhagwat Jha AzadBindeshwari DubeyChandrashekhar SinghRam Sundar DasJagannath MishraAbdul GafoorKedar PandeyKarpoori ThakurDaroga Prasad RaiHarihar SinghBhola Paswan ShastriSatish Prasad SinghMahamaya Prasad SinhaKrishna Ballabh SahayBinodanand JhaDeep Narayan SinghShri Krishna SinhaMohammad Yunus (politician)

Political Party

Governing Political Party by term's length (As of 23 February 2022 )
Political Party Chief Ministers Term
Shortest Longest Total
Indian National Congress Sri Krishna Sinha

Deep Narayan Singh

Binodanand Jha

Krishna Ballabh Sahay

Bhola Paswan Shastri (3)

Harihar Singh

Daroga Prasad Rai

Kedar Pandey

Abdul Gafoor

Jagannath Mishra (3)

Chandrashekhar Singh

Bindeshwari Dubey

Bhagwat Jha Azad

Satyendra Narayan Sinha

0 years, 17 days 13 years, 169 days 33 years, 148 days
Samata Party

Janata Dal (United)

Nitish Kumar (3)

Jitan Ram Manjhi

0 years, 7 days 8 years, 235 days 17 years, 330days
Rashtriya Janata Dal Rabri Devi 0 years, 359 days 4 years, 360 days 7 year, 190 days
Janata Dal Lalu Prasad Yadav 2 years, 112 days 5 years, 18 days 7 years, 130 days
President's rule None 0 years, 7 days 0 years, 291 days 4 years, 49 days
Janata Party Karpoori Thakur

Ram Sundar Das

2 years, 238 days 2 years, 238 days 2 years, 238 days
Jana Kranti Dal Mahamaya Prasad Sinha 0 years, 329 days 0 years, 329 days 0 years, 329 days
Socialist Party Karpoori Thakur 0 years, 163 days 0 years, 163 days 0 years, 163 days
Indian National Congress (O) Bhola Paswan Shastri 0 years, 13 days 0 years, 13 days 0 years, 13 days
Samyukta Socialist Party Satish Prasad Singh

Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal

0 years, 5 days 0 years, 51 days 0 years, 56 days

Living former chief ministers of Bihar

As of 26 October 2023, there are three living former chief ministers of Bihar:

The most recent death of a former chief minister was that of Jagannath Mishra on 19 August 2019 aged 82.

See also

References

Notes

  1. A parenthetical number indicates that the incumbent has previously held office.
  2. This column only names the chief minister's party. The state government he heads may be a complex coalition of several parties and independents; these are not listed here.
  3. President's rule may be imposed when the "government in a state is not able to function as per the Constitution", which often happens because no party or coalition has a majority in the assembly. When President's rule is in force in a state, its council of ministers stands dissolved. The office of chief minister thus lies vacant, and the administration is taken over by the governor, who functions on behalf of the central government. At times, the legislative assembly also stands dissolved.[3]
  4. On 15 November 2000, the new state of Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar.

One of the achievements of the Bihar Government is that they have launched a Medhasoft Application for the students so that deserving students in the state get scholarships and the amount will be directly transferred to their account. However, in order to get this, school authorities have to upload all their student's details in the Medhasoft web portal.

Citations

  1. Durga Das Basu. Introduction to the Constitution of India. 1960. 20th Edition, 2011 Reprint. pp. 241, 245. LexisNexis Butterworths Wadhwa Nagpur. ISBN 978-81-8038-559-9. Note: although the text talks about Indian state governments in general, it applies for the specific case of Karnataka as well.
  2. "How Bihar was carved out of the Bengal Presidency in 1912". www.indianexpress.com. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  3. "A dummy's guide to President's rule". Rediff.com. 15 March 2005.
  4. "Nitish Kumar's government in Bihar not outvoted as much as outmanoeuvred by Laloo Yadav".
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