Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. File Photo
By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Following a resounding victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to embark on yet another statewide tour, with preparations already under way. According to information from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, dates for the tour are in the process of being finalised, and district magistrates and superintendents of police across the state have been instructed to make necessary arrangements.
Nitish Kumar has traditionally undertaken such tours during the winter months and has led more than a dozen so far. With the Budget Session of the Bihar Assembly likely to begin in February, the itinerary is being planned keeping the legislative calendar in mind. Deliberations on the schedule have therefore gained momentum.
During the tour, the Chief Minister is expected to express his gratitude to the people of Bihar for delivering a landslide mandate in the Assembly elections. He will also review the implementation of development schemes and seek feedback directly from the public.
However, senior officials and close aides are still deliberating on the name of the proposed tour and its starting date. This time, the Yatra is expected to be conducted under exceptionally tight security. While security arrangements have always been stringent during the Chief Minister’s tours, the likelihood of his direct interaction with the general public is considered to be limited on this occasion.
File Photo
Nitish Kumar’s first such outreach programme was launched in July 2005 as the Nyay Yatra (Justice Tour). Ahead of the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, he undertook the Vikas Yatra (Development Tour) in January 2009, followed by the Dhanyavaad Yatra (Thanksgiving Tour) in June 2009 after a strong electoral performance. This was succeeded by the Pravas Yatra in December 2009 and the Vishwas Yatra (Confidence Tour) in April 2010, ahead of the Assembly polls.
After securing a landslide victory in the 2010 Assembly elections, the Chief Minister launched the Seva Yatra (Service Tour) towards the end of 2011. In September 2012, he undertook the Adhikar Yatra to press for special category status for Bihar. Prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he began the Sankalp Yatra (Resolution Tour), followed by the Sampark Yatra (Outreach Tour) in November 2014.
Subsequent tours included the Nishchay Yatra (Resolve Tour) from November 2016, the Samiksha Yatra (Review Tour) from December 2017, the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Yatra in December 2019, the Samaj Sudhar Yatra (Social Reform Tour) in December 2021, the Samadhan Yatra (Solution Tour) from January 2023, and the Pragati Yatra (Progress Tour) ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections.
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