The long-serving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s recent public appearances have reignited the debate on his mental and physical stability. Several odd gestures and moments over the past year have given ammunition to the Opposition, fuelling their critique that Kumar may no longer be in full control of his faculties.
Nitish Kumar’s latest virtual gaffe with PM Modi
The latest in a series of odd moments came during a virtual convocation ceremony with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. Nitish Kumar, attending the ITI skill event, sat with hands folded for almost a full minute, unmoving, slightly shaking his hands, glancing sideways before breaking into an unusual smile mid-way through the official proceedings.
The video quickly went viral, with opposition leaders questioning his composure and fitness to govern, terming the gesture symptomatic of a concerning pattern of behaviour.
Other bizarre incidents
This was not a one-off incident. In March 2025, Kumar was caught on camera laughing and chatting while the national anthem played at a sporting event in Patna. His top aide had to tug at his sleeve to remind him to stand still.
On a different occasion, he walked off the dais as the anthem began, going to shake hands with other participants.
At a Patna event, he placed his arm around a woman’s shoulder on stage, which provoked outrage and charges of impropriety from rivals, especially the RJD. There was also a moment when he attempted to touch another woman, again, captured on camera and quickly making the rounds on social media.
In May, Kumar surprised everyone by playfully placing a sapling on the head of a senior education department officer at a government function. What some interpreted as playful symbolism, others seized as another sign of unstable conduct.
Political and opposition response
The Opposition parties have pounced on these repeated gaffes and gestures. RJD, Congress, CPI-ML (Liberation), and activists like Prashant Kishor have publicly declared Kumar “not mentally or physically stable,” demanding that he step down and calling his condition a matter of grave concern for Bihar’s governance.
Slogans like “Sarkar Badlo, Bihar Badlo” are now a staple in opposition rallies, invoking concerns over misuse of the Chief Minister’s signature and suggesting that his continued tenure is a liability for the state’s development and law & order.