Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday congratulated Nitish Kumar on assuming office as chief minister of Bihar for the 10th time.

Arlekar had worked with Kumar when he served as the Governor of Bihar from February 2023 to January 2025.

"Nitish Kumar's long and distinguished public service, his steadfast commitment to development, and his dedication to people-centric governance continue to inspire confidence in the progress of the state," he said.

Arlekar conveyed his best wishes to the chief minister and his team for a successful tenure marked by inclusive growth, social harmony, and effective administration.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J P Nadda, and several other top leaders of the NDA attended the swearing-in ceremony at Patna's Gandhi Maidan.

Chief ministers of several NDA-ruled states also attended the event.

Kumar (71) is among the 10 longest-serving CMs in the country and has been in power for 19 years.

In the recently held polls, the NDA stormed back to power in the eastern state, winning 202 seats in the 243-member assembly, with the BJP bagging 89, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM 5, and RLM 4.