Bihar politics has entered a phase of quiet manoeuvring after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha biennial elections, ending speculation over whether he would step down as CM to move to the Upper House and triggering fresh questions over the future leadership of the state.
According to party insiders and political sources in Patna, the development has set off a subtle tug-of-war within the ruling alliance, with both sides keenly watching how the transition unfolds. While the Bharatiya Janata Party is seen as eager to strengthen its grip on the state leadership, the JD(U) is equally determined to ensure that the CM post does not slip from its hands.
Kumar reached the Bihar Assembly along with other NDA leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to complete the nomination process. After finishing the required formalities, he filed his papers for the Rajya Sabha polls along with NDA candidates JD(U) leader and sitting Rajya Sabha MP Ramnath Thakur, BJP president Nitin Nabin, BJP leader Shivesh Kumar and Rashtriya Lok Morcha president Upendra Kushwaha.
Five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar are falling vacant as terms of as many sitting members will come to an end in April 2026.
Nitish Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister, had earlier said in a message posted on X that he intends to contest the Rajya Sabha election in the current cycle and assured people that the new government would continue to have his guidance and support.
“… I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time…The new government that will be formed will have my full cooperation and guidance.”
JD(U) weighs two options, but decision rests with Nitish Kumar
The announcement has intensified conversations in political circles about who might succeed Kumar if he steps away from the CM post.
Within JD(U), sources say there is strong resistance to the idea of a BJP chief minister. Party leaders believe that handing the post to the BJP could weaken JD(U)’s influence in the state and reduce its political relevance within the alliance.
Among JD(U) leaders, discussions about succession appear to revolve around two possible choices – Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar and senior minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary.
Nishant’s possible entry into active politics has already been confirmed by party leaders. However, sources say the BJP may question Nishant Kumar’s lack of political and administrative experience if his name is formally proposed.
At the same time, several JD(U) insiders say Vijay Kumar Choudhary, a long-time associate of Nitish Kumar and a senior minister in the state government, is also being viewed as a strong internal option. Party leaders often describe him as Kumar’s trusted lieutenant and someone deeply familiar with the functioning of the government.
But according to JD(U) sources, the final decision will not emerge from internal lobbying or alliance pressure.
In JD(U), Nitish Kumar alone decides leadership questions, said sources, adding that whoever becomes chief minister will ultimately be his choice.
At the same time, BJP leaders have not publicly indicated a clear frontrunner for the chief minister’s post. Political watchers believe the party could keep its options open and potentially surprise observers.
Managing perception around Nitish Kumar’s decision
Another layer to the unfolding developments is the narrative around Kumar’s possible move to national politics.
Sources within the alliance say the BJP is keen that the transition should be seen as Kumar’s own decision rather than the result of pressure from coalition partners. According to insiders, this perception management is important to maintain stability within the NDA in Bihar.
Protests by JD(U) workers reflect uncertainty
Meanwhile, the speculation has also sparked reactions within the party’s grassroots base.
On Thursday, JD(U) workers gathered outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Patna and raised slogans in Kumar’s support as he prepared to file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls. Several workers said the electoral mandate in Bihar had been secured in his name and that he should continue leading the government.
One party worker told news agency IANS that JD(U) supporters had campaigned across villages invoking Kumar’s leadership and expressed concern that stepping aside so soon after the 2025 election could betray that mandate.
A long political journey
Nitish Kumar, 75, has had one of the most complex political careers in contemporary Indian politics. He began his career with the Janata Dal and later co-founded the Samata Party with George Fernandes in the 1990s.
He has served as a Union minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and first became Bihar’s chief minister in 2005 after the NDA secured a majority in the state assembly.
Nitish Kumar’s political career has seen more than a few sharp turns. In 2013, he broke ties with the BJP after years in alliance. Four years later, in 2017, he returned to the NDA. In 2022, he walked out again to join hands with rival parties, only to return once more to the BJP-led alliance in 2024.
Through all these political shifts, one thing has stayed constant, i.e. Nitish Kumar has remained at the heart of Bihar’s politics. In 2025, he took the oath as chief minister for the tenth time after his alliance won the election once again.
Now, with Kumar preparing to move to the Rajya Sabha, the state could soon be looking at another change in leadership.