List of Bihar's CM: Bihar, located in eastern India, is known for its rich history, culture, and political significance. It has played a crucial role in shaping India's past, being home to ancient universities like Nalanda and significant movements during the freedom struggle.
The state has seen multiple leaders take charge since its formation, each contributing to its development. Since 1946, Bihar has had 23 individuals serve as Chief Ministers.
As of 2025, Nitish Kumar is the current Chief Minister, having assumed office in January 2024. His leadership has been central to Bihar’s politics for over two decades.
The next Bihar Legislative Assembly elections are expected to take place in October or November 2025. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the list of Chief Ministers who have shaped Bihar’s governance over the years.
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List of Chief Ministers of Bihar
From 1947 till now, Bihar has seen a total of 23 people become the chief ministers of the state. Here's the complete list of the CMs of Bihar. The list includes:
| Chief Minister | Term of Office | Total No. of Days | Election (Term) |
| Shri Krishna Sinha | 15 August 1947 – 31 January 1961 | 13 years, 169 days | 1946 (Interim), 1952 (1st), 1957 (3rd) |
| Deep Narayan Singh | 1 February 1961 – 18 February 1961 | 17 days | – |
| Binodanand Jha | 18 February 1961 – 2 October 1963 | 2 years, 226 days | 1962 (3rd) |
| Krishna Ballabh Sahay | 2 October 1963 – 5 March 1967 | 3 years, 154 days | – |
| Mahamaya Prasad Sinha | 5 March 1967 – 28 January 1968 | 329 days | 1967 (4th) |
| Satish Prasad Singh | 28 January 1968 – 1 February 1968 | 4 days | – |
| B. P. Mandal | 1 February 1968 – 22 March 1968 | 50 days | – |
| Bhola Paswan Shastri | 22 March 1968 – 29 June 1968 | 99 days | – |
| President's rule was imposed during the period (29 June 1968 – 26 February 1969) | |||
| Harihar Singh | 26 February 1969 – 22 June 1969 | 116 days | 1969 (5th) |
| Bhola Paswan Shastri | 22 June 1969 – 4 July 1969 | 12 days | – |
| President's rule was imposed during the period (6 July 1969 – 16 February 1970) | |||
| Daroga Prasad Rai | 16 February 1970 – 22 December 1970 | 309 days | – (5th) |
| Karpoori Thakur | 22 December 1970 – 2 June 1971 | 162 days | – |
| Bhola Paswan Shastri | 2 June 1971 – 9 January 1972 | 221 days | – |
| President's rule was imposed during the period (9 January – 19 March 1972) | |||
| Kedar Pandey | 19 March 1972 – 2 July 1973 | 1 year, 105 days | 1972 (6th) |
| Abdul Ghafoor | 2 July 1973 – 11 April 1975 | 1 year, 283 days | – |
| Jagannath Mishra | 11 April 1975 – 30 April 1977 | 2 years, 19 days | – |
| President's rule was imposed during the period (30 April – 24 June 1977) | |||
| Karpoori Thakur | 24 June 1977 – 21 April 1979 | 1 year, 301 days | 1977 (7th) |
| Ram Sundar Das | 21 April 1979 – 17 February 1980 | 302 days | – |
| President's rule was imposed during the period (14 February – 8 June 1980) | |||
| Jagannath Mishra | 8 June 1980 – 14 August 1983 | 3 years, 67 days | 1980 (8th) |
| Chandrashekhar Singh | 14 August 1983 – 12 March 1985 | 1 year, 210 days | – |
| Bindeshwari Dubey | 12 March 1985 – 13 February 1988 | 2 years, 338 days | 1985 (9th) |
| Bhagwat Jha Azad | 13 February 1988 – 10 March 1989 | 1 year, 25 days | – |
| Satyendra Narayan Sinha | 11 March 1989 – 6 December 1989 | 270 days | – |
| Jagannath Mishra | 6 December 1989 – 10 March 1990 | 94 days | – |
| Lalu Prasad Yadav | 10 March 1990 – 28 March 1995 | 5 years, 18 days | 1990 (10th) |
| President's rule was imposed during the period (28 March – 4 April 1995) | |||
| Lalu Prasad Yadav | 4 April 1995 – 25 July 1997 | 2 years, 112 days | 1995 (11th) |
| Rabri Devi | 25 July 1997 – 11 February 1999 | 1 year, 201 days | – |
| President's rule was imposed during the period (11 February – 9 March 1999) | |||
| Rabri Devi | 9 March 1999 – 2 March 2000 | 359 days | – (11th) |
| Nitish Kumar | 3 March 2000 – 10 March 2000 | 7 days | 2000 (12th) |
| Rabri Devi | 11 March 2000 – 6 March 2005 | 4 years, 360 days | – |
| President's rule was imposed during the period (7 March – 24 November 2005) | |||
| Elections were held to elect the 13th Assembly in February 2005, but no government was formed. | |||
| Nitish Kumar | 24 November 2005 – 20 May 2014 | 8 years, 177 days | Oct. 2005 (14th), 2010 (15th) |
| Jitan Ram Manjhi | 20 May 2014 – 22 February 2015 | 278 days | – |
| Nitish Kumar | 22 February 2015 – Incumbent | 10 years, 5 days | 2015 (16th), 2020 (17th) |
Notes:
- The table reflects multiple terms for Chief Ministers who served non-consecutive terms (e.g., Bhola Paswan Shastri, Jagannath Mishra, Karpoori Thakur, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Nitish Kumar).
- "Incumbent" for Nitish Kumar indicates he is still in office as of the current date (February 26, 2025).
- The "Election (Term)" column lists the election year and assembly term where provided; a dash (–) indicates no specific election term was listed for that tenure, though some are inferred from prior terms (e.g., "– (5th)" under Daroga Prasad Rai).
Prime Ministers From Bihar
Before independence, Bihar was part of the larger Bihar and Orissa province, which was officially divided into two separate provinces on April 1, 1936.
The Government of India Act 1935 introduced a bicameral legislature in Bihar, comprising a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council, led by a Premier.
In 1937, Shri Krishna Sinha became the first Premier of Bihar, heading a government formed by the Indian National Congress. After independence, he continued as Bihar’s leader and became its first Chief Minister in 1946.
With India's independence in 1947, the title of Premier was replaced by Chief Minister, marking Bihar’s transition into a new democratic political framework.
| Chief Minister | Terms of Office | Election (Term) |
|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Yunus | 1 April 1937 – 19 July 1937 (109 days) | Muslim Independent Party |
| Shri Krishna Sinha | 20 July 1937 – 31 October 1939 (2 years, 103 days) | Indian National Congress |
| Shri Krishna Sinha | 23 March 1946 – 14 August 1947 (1 year, 144 days) | Indian National Congress |
Who are the Longest-Serving Chief Ministers of Bihar?
Over the years, Bihar has witnessed several influential leaders who have served as Chief Ministers, some holding office for extended periods. Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) holds the record for the longest continuous term, serving 10 years and 5 days, with a total tenure spanning 18 years and 90 days across multiple terms.
Following him, Shri Krishna Sinha of the Indian National Congress (INC) served continuously for 14 years and 314 days, making him the second-longest-serving Chief Minister, with an overall tenure of 17 years and 51 days. Rabri Devi, representing the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), governed for 4 years and 360 days in one stretch, accumulating a total of 7 years and 190 days in office.
Her predecessor, Lalu Prasad Yadav, first from Janata Dal (JD), held power for 5 years and 18 days continuously and served a cumulative 7 years and 130 days as Chief Minister. Jagannath Mishra of the INC governed for 3 years and 67 days, with a total tenure of 5 years and 180 days.
Other notable names include Krishna Ballabh Sahay, who remained in power for 3 years and 154 days, which also marked his total term. Bindeshwari Dubey and Binodanand Jha, both from INC, served for 2 years and 338 days and 2 years and 226 days, respectively.
Karpoori Thakur, affiliated with the Samajwadi Party (SP), governed for 1 year and 301 days in a single term but served for 2 years and 98 days overall. Lastly, Abdul Ghafoor of INC held the Chief Minister’s position for 1 year and 283 days, marking his entire tenure.
These leaders have left a lasting impact on Bihar’s political landscape, shaping policies and governance during their time in office.
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