In a display of rare political unity, the Bihar Legislative Assembly on Tuesday elected senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and nine-term MLA Dr Prem Kumar as its new Speaker through an uncontested and unanimous decision. The election, held on the second day of the inaugural session of the 18th Assembly, saw the entire House, including the opposition Mahagathbandhan, come together to endorse his name.
A Unanimous Mandate for the Chair
The proposal for Dr Kumar's election was moved by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and seconded by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Chaudhary. With the opposition formally deciding not to field a candidate, the House adopted the proposal by consensus. This marks the third time a BJP legislator has assumed the Speaker's post in Bihar, following Vijay Kumar Sinha and Nandkishore Yadav.
Following the declaration, a moment of symbolic camaraderie unfolded as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav escorted the newly elected Speaker to the Chair. The Chief Minister then urged all members to stand and greet Dr Kumar, famously gesturing towards Tejashwi Yadav and saying, "Arre khade ho na bhai" (Hey, stand up brother).
Opposition's Pledge of Support and Expectations
Extending congratulations on behalf of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and its chief Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav noted that the new Speaker hails from Gaya, "the land of knowledge and salvation." He expressed the opposition's expectation that Dr Kumar would "take both the ruling side and the opposition forward together."
"We trust you will not disappoint anyone. The entire Opposition stands with you," Tejashwi affirmed. He outlined his party's constructive approach in the new Assembly, stating that while the opposition would firmly act as a mirror if the government strayed from public interest, it would support every positive step for Bihar's development.
Speaker's Maiden Address: A Call for Dialogue and Duty
In his first address from the Chair, Dr Prem Kumar began with a verse from the Bhagavad Gita: "karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana" (you have the right to perform your duties, but not to the fruits thereof). He expressed gratitude for the unanimous trust, calling it a faith in democratic traditions.
Emphasizing that the 18th Assembly convenes as Bihar enters a new chapter of developmental aspirations, he quoted Mahatma Gandhi: "The future depends on what we do today." Dr Kumar assured that both the Treasury and Opposition benches would be equally important to him and stressed the need to safeguard members' rights while ensuring rules are followed.
He acknowledged that differences of opinion are natural but asserted "there should never be conflict of mind or body," advocating for building "bridges of dialogue" across ideological divides. Among his stated priorities are modernising legislative functioning through digital processes and strengthening e-governance reforms. He also announced that the election for the Deputy Speaker would be held on December 4.
A Veteran's Journey to the Speaker's Chair
Dr Prem Kumar, 69, is a political veteran who first entered the Bihar Assembly in 1990 and has since won nine consecutive terms from the Gaya Town constituency. A PhD holder and an Extremely Backward Class (EBC) leader with roots in the Jayaprakash Narayan movement, he has held over ten ministerial portfolios, including Agriculture, Tourism, and Urban Development.
He served as a minister in the 2005 Nitish Kumar government and later held cabinet positions in 2010, 2017–2020, and 2020–2024. Between 2015 and 2017, he also served as the Leader of the Opposition. In the recent 2025 Assembly polls, he secured 90,878 votes, defeating his Congress rival by a margin of 26,423 votes to retain Gaya Town.
Session Begins with Oaths and Camaraderie
The Winter Session commenced on Monday with 235 newly elected MLAs taking the oath before Pro-tem Speaker Narendra Narayan Yadav. The oaths were administered in Hindi, Maithili (15 MLAs), Sanskrit (5), English (5), and Urdu (5). The ceremony witnessed brief moments of cross-party warmth, including a handshake between Tejashwi Yadav and Samrat Chaudhary, and an embrace between Tejashwi and Ram Kripal Yadav.
While six MLAs were absent on the first day, most took their oaths on Tuesday. The exception is Anant Singh, the MLA from Mokama, who remains imprisoned in connection with an alleged murder case during the election campaign.
The unanimous election of the Speaker and the conciliatory tones from both sides set a potentially collaborative tone for the proceedings of the 18th Bihar Legislative Assembly.
