Nitish Kumar likely to move to Rajya Sabha; BJP set to pick new Bihar CM: Report

According to senior leaders in his party, the Janata Dal (United), Kumar is expected to file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to be present during the filing, signalling the significance of the transition.

If the plan goes through, Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, may be inducted as Deputy Chief Minister, while a BJP leader would step into the Chief Minister’s role, a long-anticipated shift that would place the party firmly in the driver’s seat in Bihar.

Sources suggest Kumar could resign as early as next week.

A leader close to him, whose name is also being considered for the Rajya Sabha, said pointedly, “It is time to mourn. Everything had been decided in Delhi,” hinting at the central leadership’s role in orchestrating the change.

BJP in command?

The move has been speculated since before the 2025 Assembly elections, but the BJP had refrained from acting hastily given Kumar’s towering presence in state politics and his electoral appeal.

At 75, Kumar is Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, having taken oath a record 10 times. He has led the state since 2015, barring a brief interlude when Jitan Ram Manjhi held the post.

Over the years, Kumar has spearheaded campaigns for both the NDA and the Grand Alliance, maintaining a loyal voter base despite multiple political realignments.

In 2025, when many had written him off, Kumar staged a comeback, bolstered by strong support from women voters, credited to welfare measures such as the bicycle scheme for schoolgirls and the liquor prohibition policy.

However, with the BJP emerging as the dominant partner in the alliance and JD(U) slipping to second place in terms of strength, pressure has been mounting for a leadership change.

The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal has also targeted Kumar over alleged age-related decline, further fuelling speculation of a transition.

Who could replace him?

Several BJP leaders are in the race for the Chief Minister’s post. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who also holds the Home portfolio in the state, is considered a strong contender.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, known to be close to Amit Shah and hailing from the influential Yadav community, is another frontrunner.

Patna Digha MLA Sanjeev Chaurasia is also being discussed within party circles. Party insiders say the BJP is keen to appoint a leader from a backward caste community as Chief Minister,a key electoral consideration in Bihar’s complex social landscape.

While there has been no official confirmation from Kumar himself, the potential shift signals a significant political recalibration in the state — one that could reshape Bihar’s power structure ahead of the next electoral cycle.