Patna, April 14: Nitish Kumar concluded his decades-long run as Bihar’s Chief Minister today, submitting his resignation to the Governor after chairing a final meeting of his Cabinet. The move triggers a rapid leadership transition within the NDA, with a new Chief Minister expected to be named by Tuesday evening and a swearing-in ceremony likely to take place tomorrow.
The leadership change follows Kumar’s election to the Rajya Sabha on March 16. Under legislative rules, he resigned his membership in the Bihar Assembly late last month to assume his new role in the Upper House of Parliament. His exit marks the end of an era in Patna, though allies asserted that the policies established during his leadership would remain the foundation for the next administration.
Sanjay Kumar Jha, Rajya Sabha MP and JDU working president, declared that the party remains dedicated to the mandate received during the 2025-30 elections. “We contested the election mandate under Nitish Kumar’s leadership with the support of the NDA. His focus remains on Bihar,” Jha affirmed, noting that Kumar would continue to provide strategic oversight to the state government.
The BJP has initiated its internal selection process, with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arriving in Patna as a central observer to oversee the election of a legislature party leader. Several names, including Samrat Choudhary, Nityanand Rai, and JDU’s Nishant Kumar, are reportedly under consideration for the top post.
An NDA legislature party meeting is scheduled for 4 PM today at the Bihar Legislative Assembly to formally endorse the new leader. Observers noted that while a new face will head the government, the administrative structure is expected to remain largely intact, with only minor adjustments anticipated for the state’s 36 ministerial berths.
