Agency | Patna: Veteran JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, is set to file his nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections at 11:30 am on Thursday, March 5 — a move that has ignited intense speculation over who will take over the reins of the state.
Having taken oath for a record 10th term in November last year, Nitish’s likely transition to the Upper House is being widely viewed as the beginning of a significant political shift in Bihar.
The question dominating political circles is: who succeeds him as Chief Minister?
Sources suggest that while leaders within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are openly discussing the possibility of a leadership change, the Janata Dal (United) appears divided. A section of the JD(U) is reportedly opposed to any immediate transfer of power.
Within BJP ranks, several names are doing the rounds as potential contenders for the top post, including Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, senior leader Sanjiv Chaurasiya, and Union Minister Nityanand Rai. Notably, Choudhary remained in Patna during Holi celebrations — deviating from his usual practice of visiting his constituency — further fuelling speculation.
Party insiders indicate that a proposal was floated weeks ago to send Nitish Kumar to the Rajya Sabha while appointing his son, Nishant Kumar, as Deputy Chief Minister. Nishant is widely expected to enter active politics soon and assume a prominent role within the party.
Following the NDA’s sweeping victory in the 2025 Assembly elections — securing 202 out of 243 seats — the BJP emerged as the single-largest party for the first time with 89 MLAs. Despite honouring its pre-poll commitment to back Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister, the current political arithmetic has strengthened the BJP’s claim to the top post.
Political observers suggest that Bihar may be inching toward a “post-Nitish era,” with the BJP keen to install one of its own leaders to reflect its dominant position within the ruling alliance.
With Nitish Kumar’s Rajya Sabha nomination now imminent, clarity on Bihar’s next Chief Minister is expected in the coming days — a decision that could reshape the state’s political landscape.
