Since the 1994 revolt in Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal, Mr. Kumar has remained a central figure in the State’s politics. After breaking away from the then-Chief Minister Lalu Prasad, he co-founded the Samata Party alongside the veteran socialist leader George Fernandes. Mr. Kumar had to resign after his government failed to prove its majority in the House. Earlier than this, Mr. Kumar began his political career in 1974 during the anti-emergency movement by joining Jayaprakash Narayan’s Total Revolution (Sampoorna Kranti). Mr. Kumar might have read between the lines, quipped political expert and former professor of Patna University, Nawal Kishore Chaudhary.

Source: The Hindu March 05, 2026 09:35 UTC