Nitish Kumar announced he will contest the Rajya Sabha elections, ending his long tenure as Bihar chief minister.
The NDA is expected to form the next government, with a BJP leader likely to become Bihar’s first BJP CM.
The announcement has triggered protests among JD(U) workers amid speculation about Nishant Kumar entering politics.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said he will contest the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, signalling the end of his tenure as the state’s longest-serving chief minister and paving the way for a leadership change after the NDA’s recent assembly election victory.
Announcing his decision in a post on X, the JD(U) leader said he intends to enter the Upper House of Parliament while continuing to guide the state’s new government.
“For more than two decades, you have consistently placed your trust and support in me, and it is on the strength of that trust that we have served Bihar and all of you with complete dedication. It was the power of your trust and support that has enabled Bihar today to present a new dimension of development and dignity,” he said.
Kumar, who has served as chief minister for a record 10 terms since 2005, said that from the beginning of his parliamentary career he had hoped to serve in both Houses of the state legislature as well as both Houses of Parliament.
“In keeping with this aspiration, I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time,” he said.
“I want to assure you with complete honesty that my relationship with you will continue in the future as well, and my resolve to work together with you to build a developed Bihar will remain steadfast. The new government that will be formed will have my full cooperation and guidance,” he added.
According to PTI, Kumar’s move comes months after the ruling NDA secured a decisive victory in the Bihar assembly elections held in November last year. With him stepping aside, a leader from the BJP is expected to take charge as chief minister. If that happens, it will be the first time the party heads the government in Bihar, the only Hindi heartland state where it has not held the top post so far.
Five Rajya Sabha seats from the state are scheduled to go to polls on March 16, with the deadline for filing nomination papers ending on Thursday. PTI reported that Kumar’s entry into the race is almost certain to result in his election to the Upper House given the numbers in the state legislature.
However, his announcement triggered protests from sections of JD(U) workers, many of whom gathered outside the chief minister’s residence on Thursday morning opposing the decision.
State Sunni Waqf Board chairman Alhaj Mohammad Irshadullah, also a JD(U) leader, said the development had surprised party members. “Party workers are not happy with Nitish Kumar's decision to leave Bihar politics and go to Rajya Sabha. When I came to know about it, it was a shocker for me. He should have remained the CM”.
Reacting to the announcement, RJD leader Manoj Jha told PTI Video that the statement appeared to have been issued from outside the state leadership. “After reading the tweet, it is guaranteed that he has not dictated or written this. It came from Delhi. The core of JD(U) is hurt by this....”
The development also comes shortly after JD(U) leaders indicated that Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, may soon enter active politics. According to PTI, Rural Development Minister Shrawon Kumar said earlier this week that preparations were under way for Nishant’s formal political debut.
“On the eve of Holi, I have some good news to share with the people of Bihar. It has been some time since there have been demands, from within the JD(U) as well as from among the state's youth, that Nishant, the son of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, join politics. Decks have been cleared for that, and a formal announcement will be made in a day or two,” the minister told PTI on Tuesday.
Speculation has grown that Nishant, an engineering graduate in his 40s, could join the new government as deputy chief minister.
Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, considered one of the contenders for the chief minister’s post, congratulated Kumar on his decision.
“Your visionary leadership, unwavering commitment to good governance, and your continuous efforts for the all-round development of Bihar are an inspiration to all of us. I am confident that with your experience and leadership, the dignity of the Rajya Sabha will be further strengthened,” he said in a post on X.
The Rajya Sabha elections are being held as the tenures of JD(U)’s Harivansh Narayan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur, RJD leaders Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh, and RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha come to an end.
A candidate requires first-preference votes from 41 MLAs to secure a seat in the Upper House. PTI reported that the NDA currently holds 202 seats in the 243-member Bihar assembly, including 89 held by the BJP and 85 by the JD(U).
The BJP has fielded its newly appointed state president Nitin Nabin, a member of the legislative council, and state general secretary Shivesh Kumar as candidates, while backing Kushwaha, who entered the Rajya Sabha in 2025, for another term.
Apart from Kumar, the JD(U) is expected to nominate Thakur for a third term, though the party has not yet formally announced his candidature.
According to PTI, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to attend the filing of nomination papers.
(With inputs from PTI)
