End of an era: Nitish steps down after remaining at helm of Bihar politics for two decades

Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister of Bihar on Tuesday after ruling the state for nearly two decades. The state is now set to have a chief minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Kumar formally submitted his resignation to Governor Syed Ata Hasnain, marking the end of an era in Bihar’s politics.

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Earlier in the afternoon, he was seen leaving the Chief Minister’s official residence in a car along with Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and his close confidante Vijay Choudhary. Vijay Choudhary was seated in the front, while Nitish Kumar and Samrat Choudhary sat together in the back seat.

The visual has been widely interpreted as a strong indication regarding the next Chief Minister of Bihar. Samrat Choudhary is being seen as a key contender for the post, with the BJP expected to lead the new government.

Earlier, Kumar chaired his final cabinet meeting, where the dissolution of the current cabinet was approved.

Minister Lakhendra Paswan said the meeting was held in an emotional atmosphere, with several ministers visibly moved. Nitish Kumar, too, appeared emotional during the proceedings.

Paswan said that in his brief address, the outgoing Chief Minister told ministers, “I am going to Delhi, but I will continue to keep an eye on everything from there. My affection and love for all of you will always remain.”

He then informed those present about the dissolution of the cabinet before returning to the Chief Minister’s residence.

After submitting his resignation, Nitish Kumar shared a post on X assuring the people of Bihar that the new government will have his full support and guidance, good work will continue, and the state will move forward significantly.

Reflecting on his nearly 20 years of service to the state, he wrote: “You know that on November 24, 2005, an NDA government was formed in the state for the first time. Since then, there has been the rule of law in the state, and we have continuously worked for development. The government has worked for all sections of society — whether Hindu, Muslim, upper caste, backward, extremely backward, Dalit, or Mahadalit. Work has been done in every sector, including education, health, roads, electricity, and agriculture. A lot has also been done for women and youth.

“In recent times, development work has been taken further. For the next five years, from 2025 to 2030, the ‘7 Nischay-3’ programme has been formulated. This will lead to even more work, helping Bihar progress significantly. The central government has also fully supported Bihar’s development. For this, we express our gratitude to Narendra Modi. Bihar will develop more rapidly, become one of the top states in the country, and make an important contribution to national progress.”