Nitish Kumar Heads to Rajya Sabha, Paving Way for BJP Chief Minister in Bihar
New Delhi/Patna – In a significant political shift, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to transition to the Rajya Sabha, opening the door for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to appoint its first-ever Chief Minister in the state. This move comes less than four months after Kumar, alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, led the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to a landslide victory in the Bihar assembly elections in November 2025, securing a record 10th term as Chief Minister.
A Shift in Power Dynamics
The decision comes as Kumar, 75, faces concerns regarding his health. While the timing of the transition was sooner than anticipated, it was considered appropriate within the NDA to allow a new team to settle in. For decades, the BJP has played a secondary role to Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) since their first alliance in 1996, allowing him to retain the top post despite having more Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in both 2020 and 2025, citing his seniority.
Nishant Kumar’s Entry into Politics
Alongside Nitish Kumar’s nomination, his son, Nishant Kumar, is poised to enter politics by joining the government. Speculation surrounds his potential appointment as Deputy Chief Minister, though his specific position and portfolio remain unclear. This move is intended to bolster the JD(U)’s base among backward and Dalit communities.
Rajya Sabha Nominations
Nitish Kumar will file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha in Patna on Thursday, in the presence of key NDA members, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Joining him will be four other NDA nominees: BJP president Nitin Nabin, Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur, and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party leader Upendr Kushwaha.
BJP’s Expanding Footprint
This transition extends the BJP’s jurisdictional reach across almost all of north and central India. With Bihar potentially joining states led by BJP Chief Ministers, the party will head governments throughout the Hindi-speaking belt, with the exception of Himachal Pradesh.
Potential Successors
Samrat Choudhary, currently a Deputy Chief Minister and hailing from the Kushwaha caste (the second largest OBC community in Bihar after Yadavs), is considered a frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s position. His rapid ascent within the BJP, coupled with his charge of the home portfolio, positions him favorably. Another potential contender is Nityanand Rai, a seasoned organizational leader and Deputy in the Union Home Ministry. Rai’s elevation could also allow the BJP to reach out to the Yadav caste, traditionally loyal to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Nitish Kumar’s Legacy
Nitish Kumar has been at the helm of Bihar since 2005, with a brief interruption after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls when he appointed Jitan Ram Manjhi as Chief Minister following his party’s poor performance. Throughout his career, he has switched alliances twice, embracing the RJD before returning to the BJP, consistently acting as a key swing factor in the state’s political landscape despite the JD(U)’s recent decline.
As the transition unfolds, a section of the JD(U) expresses concern that Nitish Kumar’s move to national politics could be interpreted as a removal from the Chief Minister’s post, and the appointment of a BJP Chief Minister would confirm those suspicions.