As Nitish Kumar moves to Rajya Sabha, BJP likely to pick Bihar chief minister from its own party

New Delhi: With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar set to move to the Rajya Sabha, the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to elect one of its leaders as the next chief minister of Bihar, sources in the party said.

Discussions within the ruling alliance are underway regarding a leadership transition in the state.

The development comes as Kumar announced on X that he will shift to national politics through a Rajya Sabha berth, paving the way for the BJP to stake claim to the chief minister’s post in the state.

On Friday, Nitish Kumar called for a meeting of the JDU MPs to deliberate on the matter.

Sources said that under the possible arrangement, the BJP would lead the government in Bihar while its ally, the Janata Dal (United), could be accommodated with a deputy chief minister’s post.

The JD(U) is also expected to retain its existing representation in the state cabinet as part of the coalition arrangement.

Frontrunners within the JD(U) for the post of the deputy CM include Nishant Kumar, Nitish’s son. If he is indeed made the Deputy CM, the state is unlikely to have another Deputy CM as the JDU does not want power sharing in the post.

The JD(U) will induct 15 ministers in the Cabinet, while the Lok Janshakti Party will have two ministers. Other allies including Hindustan Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha will have one minister each.

The BJP and JD(U) currently run the government in Bihar as part of the National Democratic Alliance. Party insiders said consultations are ongoing between senior leaders of both parties to finalise the leadership structure and ensure continuity in the government.

While the names of potential BJP leaders who could take over as chief minister have not been officially discussed, sources indicated that the party leadership is considering multiple options before arriving at a final decision.

The proposed shift would mark a significant political transition in Bihar, where Nitish Kumar has served a record ten terms as chief minister and has been a central figure in the state’s politics for nearly two decades.

An official announcement on the leadership change is likely to be made soon once consultations within the alliance are completed, sources added. Neither the BJP nor the JD(U) has issued a formal statement on the matter so far.