Nitish Kumar - the Bihari to reckon with

     New Delhi: With the defeat of UPA's partner at the Centre, Rashtriya Janata Dal, there is the much-awaited change of guard in the Bihar Assembly after a long span of 15 years. The thumping majority which has revived hopes for BJP and alliance partners may not have been possible if Nitish Kumar was not projected as the prospective Chief Minister. Nitish was born to Kaviraj Ram Lakhan Singh on March 1, 1951 in Bakhtiarpur of Patna district in Bihar. He did his Bachelor's degree in Science--B.Sc--from the Bihar College of Engineering, Patna. His official resume narrates him as a political and social worker and agriculturist and farmer. Coming from a humble background, Nitish was married to Manju Kumari in 1973. He has a son to carry on his legacy.

     Nitish's political career started when he participated in the J.P. Movement (1974-77) as an activist. He was detained in 1974 under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (M.I.S.A.). In 1975, when a State of Emergency was called by the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, Nitish was jailed with his other colleagues. He was the founder member of the Samata Party. Nitish held many important positions in his political career since he became a Member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1985. After becoming the member of Committee on Petitions in the Assembly, he became the President of Yuva Lok Dal in Bihar. In 1989, he became the Secretary General of Janata Dal party. His major stint in political theatre started when he was elected to the ninth Lok Sabha. It was on July 16th, 1990 that he resigned from the House Committee of which he was a member. In 1990, he became the Union Minister Minister of State, Agriculture and Co-operation, in the NDA-led Government at the Centre. He was elected for the 10th Lok Sabha for his second term as MP. During 1991 to 1993 period of time he was made the General- Secretary of Janata Dal. He went on to become the Deputy Leader of Janata Dal in the Parliament. In 1996 he was re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha for his third term. He worked as the Member of the Committee on Defence from 1996 to 1998.

     The 12th Lok Sabha saw him getting elected for his fourth term as the Member of Parliament. This stint proved significant for his political career when he got the hi-profile portfolio of Union Railway Minister and in the NDA government. The 13th Lok Sabha saw him elected for his fifth term. This time he held the portfolio of Union Cabinet Minister for Surface Transport (Oct.13 to Nov.22 1999). Later on , he was made the Union Cabinet Minister for Agriculture (Nov.22, 1999 to March 3, 2000). It was in 2000, Nitish Kumar became the Chief Minister of Bihar. But he could not occupy the designated position for more than a week. In March 2000 Nitish became the Union Cabinet Minister for Agriculture. In the next year (March 20, 2001) he was given the additional charge of Railways. On July 22, 2001 Nitish saw himself becoming the Union Minister of Railways. In his sixth term as the member of the 14th Lok Sabha, he fought elections from the Nalanda Parliamentary constituency of Bihar. At present he resides at 22, Akbar Road, in New Delhi while his parents live in his ancestral house in Bakhtiarpur villlage. He has been to Singapore, Thailand; visited Havana (Cuba) and Moscow (Russia) as a member of Indian Delegation to the World Youth Festival in 1978 and as a member of Indian Parliamentary Delegation to the IPU Conferences he visited Australia and France. As Railway Minister he visited France, Switzerland and U.K; as Agriculture Minister attended Regional Conference of F.A.O. in Yokohama, Japan.