List of Chief Ministers of Bihar from 1947 to 2025: Tenure, and Political Parties

Explore the complete list of Chief Ministers of Bihar from 1947 to 2025, including names, tenure, parties, Nitish Kumar’s historic leadership, longest-serving CM, and key facts.

Table of Contents

Bihar, the most politically important state of India, has been a crucial factor in defining the democratic path of the country. Since independence, Bihar has seen repeated political changes, experiments in coalitions, and some of the most powerful leaders in Indian politics. The first Chief Minister of Bihar was Sri Krishna Sinha, who assumed the post in 1946, even before India became independent.
Up to 2025, 24 leaders have been Chief Ministers of Bihar, some holding office for more than one term. Eight times, the state has also been governed under President’s Rule because of political instability. Out of all, Nitish Kumar has proved to be one of the strongest leaders, occupying the CM’s seat several times and earning the title of the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar.

List of Chief Ministers of Bihar from 1947 to 2025

Below is the complete list of Bihar Chief Ministers along with their tenures and political affiliations:

S. No.	Name	Tenure	Political Party
1	Sri Krishna Sinha	2 April 1946 – 31 January 1961	Indian National Congress
2	Deep Narayan Singh	1 Feb 1961 – 18 Feb 1961	Indian National Congress
3	Binodanand Jha	18 Feb 1961 – 2 Oct 1963	Indian National Congress
4	K.B. Sahay	2 Oct 1963 – 5 March 1965	Indian National Congress
5	Mahamaya Prasad Sinha	5 Mar 1967 – 28 Jan 1968	Jana Kranti Dal
6	Satish Prasad Singh	28 Jan 1968 – 1 Feb 1968	Samyukta Socialist Party
7	B.P. Mandal	1 Feb 1968 – 22 Mar 1968	Samyukta Socialist Party
8	Bhola Paswan Shastri	22 Mar 1968 – 29 Jun 1968	Indian National Congress
9	Harihar Singh	26 Feb 1969 – 22 Jun 1969	Indian National Congress
10	Bhola Paswan Shastri	22 Jun 1969 – 4 Jul 1969	Indian National Congress
11	Daroga Prasad Rai	16 Feb 1970 – 22 Dec 1970	Indian National Congress
12	Karpoori Thakur	22 Dec 1970 – 2 Jun 1971	Socialist Party
13	Bhola Paswan Shastri	2 Jun 1971 – 9 Jan 1972	Indian National Congress
14	Kedar Pandey	19 Mar 1972 – 2 Jul 1973	Indian National Congress
15	Abdul Gafoor	2 Jul 1973 – 11 Apr 1975	Indian National Congress
16	Jagannath Mishra	11 Apr 1975 – 30 Apr 1977	Indian National Congress
17	Karpoori Thakur	24 Jun 1977 – 21 Apr 1979	Janata Party
18	Ram Sundar Das	21 Apr 1979 – 17 Feb 1980	Janata Party
19	Jagannath Mishra	8 Jun 1980 – 14 Aug 1983	Indian National Congress
20	Chandrasekhar Singh	14 Aug 1983 – 12 Mar 1985	Indian National Congress
21	Bindeshwari Dubey	12 Mar 1985 – 13 Feb 1988	Indian National Congress
22	Bhagwat Jha Azad	14 Feb 1988 – 10 Mar 1989	Indian National Congress
23	Satyendra Narayan Sinha	11 Mar 1989 – 6 Dec 1989	Indian National Congress
24	Jagannath Mishra	6 Dec 1989 – 10 Mar 1990	Indian National Congress
25	Lalu Prasad Yadav	10 Mar 1990 – 28 Mar 1995	Janata Dal
26	Lalu Prasad Yadav	4 Apr 1995 – 25 Jul 1997	Janata Dal → Rashtriya Janata Dal
27	Rabri Devi	25 Jul 1997 – 11 Feb 1999	Rashtriya Janata Dal
28	Rabri Devi	9 Mar 1999 – 2 Mar 2000	Rashtriya Janata Dal
29	Nitish Kumar	3 Mar 2000 – 10 Mar 2000	Samata Party
30	Rabri Devi	11 Mar 2000 – 6 Mar 2005	Rashtriya Janata Dal
31	Nitish Kumar	24 Nov 2005 – 20 May 2014	Janata Dal (United)
32	Jitan Ram Manjhi	20 May 2014 – 22 Feb 2015	Janata Dal (United)
33	Nitish Kumar	22 Feb 2015 – Incumbent	Janata Dal (United)

First Chief Minister of Bihar

The first Chief Minister of Bihar was Sri Krishna Sinha, who served from 1946 to 1961. Popularly known as “Bihar Kesari,” he was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and played a crucial role in social reforms, industrial development, and education. His long tenure made him one of the most influential leaders in Bihar’s history.

Current Chief Minister of Bihar (2025)

The current Chief Minister is Nitish Kumar, who has been in office since 2015 (after briefly serving earlier in 2000 and 2005–2014). Known for his focus on infrastructure, education, healthcare, and women empowerment, Nitish Kumar has transformed Bihar’s connectivity through bridges and road networks. He continues to lead the state under the JD(U)-RJD coalition with Tejashwi Yadav as Deputy CM.

Longest Serving Chief Minister of Bihar

Nitish Kumar holds the record as the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar, serving cumulatively for over 18 years. His leadership is often credited with bringing stability, development, and progressive reforms to the state.

Shortest Serving Chief Minister of Bihar

The shortest tenure was held by Satish Prasad Singh, who served for just 5 days (28 January – 1 February 1968). His government collapsed quickly due to lack of majority support, marking a brief chapter in Bihar’s volatile political history.

Key Facts about Bihar Chief Ministers

Total Chief Ministers (1947–2025): 24
First CM: Sri Krishna Sinha (1946–1961)
Current CM: Nitish Kumar (2015–2025, JD(U))
Longest-serving CM: Nitish Kumar (18+ years)
Shortest-serving CM: Satish Prasad Singh (5 days)
Presidential Rule in Bihar: 8 times

Conclusion

The political history of Bihar reflects India’s democratic diversity, with leaders from the Congress era to the Mandal politics and coalition governments shaping its governance. Nitish Kumar’s historic leadership, along with earlier leaders like Sri Krishna Sinha, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Karpoori Thakur, highlights Bihar’s pivotal role in national politics. As of 2025, Bihar continues to be a state of political importance, balancing development aspirations with coalition challenges.

Chief Ministers of Bihar FAQs

Who is first Chief Minister of Bihar?

Sri Krishna Sinha is the first Chief Minister of Bihar. His tenure was from Apr 2, 1946 to 31 Jan 1961

Who is the first lady Chief Minister of Bihar?

Rabri Devi was appointed as Bihar's first female chief minister on July 25, 1997, when her husband Lalu Prasad Yadav was compelled to resign because an arrest warrant had been issued for him in connection with the Fodder scam.