From Five Days to Ninety-Nine: Bihar’s Shortest-Serving Chief Ministers, Nitish Kumar Also on the List

Patna:
Bihar’s political history has often been marked by fragile coalitions, sudden power shifts, and dramatic collapses of governments. In this turbulent landscape, the state has witnessed several Chief Ministers whose tenures were so brief that they failed to even complete 100 days in office.

Surprisingly, this list not only includes lesser-known leaders but also features Nitish Kumar, who today holds the record for being one of Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Ministers.

Here is a look at five Bihar Chief Ministers with the shortest tenures in the state’s political history:

1. Jagannath Mishra – 94 Days

Veteran Congress leader Dr. Jagannath Mishra narrowly missed completing a century in office. Representing the Indian National Congress (Indira), he assumed office on December 6, 1989, but his government collapsed on March 10, 1990.
His tenure lasted 94 days, falling just short of the 100-day mark amid shifting political equations.

2. B.P. Mandal – 30 Days

Born in Varanasi, Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal, widely known as the architect of the Mandal Commission, also served briefly as Bihar’s Chief Minister.
An Independent leader, Mandal took oath on February 1, 1968, but his government survived only 30 days, collapsing on March 2, 1968.

3. Bhola Paswan Shastri – 99 Days and 12 Days

Bihar’s first Dalit Chief Minister, Bhola Paswan Shastri, holds a unique record. Despite taking oath as CM three times, two of his tenures were extremely short.

• In 1968, he served for 99 days, missing a century by just one day.
• In 1969, his second stint lasted a mere 12 days.

Ironically, Bhola Paswan remains among the leaders who took oath as CM multiple times, yet had some of the shortest tenures.

4. Satish Prasad Singh – Just 5 Days

The record for the shortest tenure ever belongs to Satish Prasad Singh, leader of the Shoshit Dal.
He was sworn in on January 28, 1968, and his government collapsed on February 1, 1968, making him Chief Minister for just five days — the shortest in Bihar’s history.

5. Nitish Kumar – 7 Days (in 2000)

Popularly known as ‘Sushasan Babu’, Nitish Kumar today is one of Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Ministers. However, his political journey also includes a remarkably brief tenure.
As leader of the Samata Party, Nitish Kumar took oath on March 3, 2000, but failed to prove his majority in the Assembly. He resigned just seven days later, on March 10, 2000.

A Reflection of Bihar’s Volatile Politics

These short-lived governments highlight the instability and intense power struggles that have shaped Bihar’s political history. While some leaders failed to hold on to power even for weeks, others—like Nitish Kumar—went on to build long and dominant political careers later.

Bihar’s past thus serves as a reminder that in politics, a short beginning does not always define the final legacy.