3 min readPatnaUpdated: Mar 4, 2026 11:01 PM IST
In a sudden and unexpected turn of events, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is most likely to file nomination for Rajya Sabha, leaving Bihar to brace for a new chief minister, either from JD(U) or from the BJP.
Sources indicate that there would be a BJP chief minister. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Patna Wednesday amid these speculations. While there is no official confirmation of this, either from the BJP or the JD(U), sources close to important leaders from both parties confirmed that Nitish Kumar had signed the form for his Rajya Sabha nomination. JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, however, was not available for comment.
Sources in the NDA told The Indian Express that Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Bihar minister Dilip Jaiswal, and Digha BJP MLA Sanjeev Chourasia are among probable chief ministerial candidates, while JD(U) might well have two deputy CMs in Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Nishant Kumar. Union Minister Nityanand Rai may also throw his hat in the ring for the CM position.
But what is surprising and intriguing is the timing of Nitish Kumar’s likely exit as state chief minister after being in office for close to two decades. Nitish had made a national record by taking oath as CM for a record 10th time last November. The fact that it is likely to happen before the upcoming crucial West Bengal elections is even more intriguing, more so because of the almost forced exit of the longest-serving Bihar CM after such an illustrious administrative record, bringing him the sobriquet of “vikas purush (development man)”.
As the Rajya Sabha term for outgoing MPs ends in April, Nitish Kumar may well take time to resign as CM.
Describing the turn of events, an NDA leader said: “There had been initial discussion of Nishant Kumar being sent to Rajya Sabha. However, Nishant reportedly showed his keenness towards starting his political innings from Bihar. While these discussions were on, BJP Central leadership reportedly advised Nitish Kumar to go to Rajya Sabha and nominate a successor of his choice. Nitish agreed to it, even though several party leaders did not approve the idea”.
“The immediate trigger for this otherwise untimely decision is failing health and fading memory of CM, who has been reportedly dependent upon a handful of bureaucrats for all his decisions,” said the source, adding that the BJP had first hinted to Nitish Kumar about a possible power shift in February.
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The BJP, however, is reportedly in two minds over whether to keep the CM from the Luv-Kush (Kurmi-Koeri) community or go for an EBC. If the party decides on an EBC CM, five-time Digha BJP MLA Sanjeev Chourasia and Rajya Sabha MP Shambhu Patel could be front-runners.
