Nitish Kumar resigns as MLC after Rajya Sabha election

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigned from the membership of the Legislative Council on Monday, about two weeks after being elected to the Rajya Sabha.

He was elected to the Upper House of the Parliament on March 16, and as per constitutional provisions, he was required to resign from his MLC post within 14 days.

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JD(U) Legislative Council member Sanjay Gandhi submitted Nitish Kumar’s resignation to Council Chairman Awadhesh Narain Singh.

Later, Singh told news persons that he has accepted the resignation letter. He said that once all formalities are completed, the seat will be declared vacant and further action will follow as per norms.

He noted that such steps are routine after a member is elected to the Rajya Sabha. “There is a stipulated time frame for resigning from the existing membership, and the same is being adhered to,” he said.

Nitish Kumar has been a member of the Legislative Council continuously since 2006. He was elected for a fourth consecutive term on May 7, 2024, with his tenure scheduled to end on May 6, 2030.

He was first elected as an MLA from the Harnaut Assembly constituency in 1985 and later elected to the 9th Lok Sabha in 1989.

On March 5, hours before filing his nomination for the Rajya Sabha, Nitish Kumar had expressed his wish to serve in both Houses of the Bihar Legislature as well as both Houses of Parliament.

“Since the beginning of my parliamentary life, I had a wish in my heart that I would become a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislature as well as both Houses of Parliament. In the current election I wish to become a member of the Rajya Sabha,” he had said in a social media.

He is expected to take oath as a Rajya Sabha member early next month. With this, he will join a select group of leaders who have been members of all four Houses.

Despite resigning from the Legislative Council, Nitish Kumar is expected to continue as Bihar Chief Minister until his successor is unanimously chosen by the alliance partners.

Political analysts suggest that the next Chief Minister is likely to come from the BJP, although the party will need Nitish Kumar’s approval.

Kumar has repeatedly signaled that Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary could succeed him. During the recently concluded ‘Samriddhi Yatra,’ Kumar was seen placing his hand on Choudhary’s shoulder and urging the public to show support for him.

As a member of the Koeri (Kushwaha) caste, Samrat Choudhary is expected to carry forward Nitish Kumar’s legacy of advocating for the upliftment of the Kurmi-Koeri communities, which is considered a traditional and foundational vote base for Janata Dal (United).