Amid suspense over Bihar CM post, Nitish Kumar likely to quit as MLC on March 30

Patna: Though Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was elected as a Rajya Sabha member on March 16, one pertinent question, which has so far remained unanswered is: How long will he continue to be the Bihar CM and when will he resign as a member of the Bihar Legislature?

Though there is no official word on the issue, ruling party sources told DH here on Sunday that Nitish may quit as member of the Legislative Council (MLC) on March 30. “On Monday Nitish may quit as MLC, as the rule says that one has to resign from the State legislature within 14 days of being elected as member of the Parliament. Nitish ji was elected as Rajya Sabha member on March 16,” said the Nitish’s aide, preferring anonymity, as the decision has not been formally announced.

Speculation is also rife that Nitish may not resign as Bihar CM immediately after quitting as MLC. “The law is very clear that anyone can remain a CM for the next six months before becoming a member of either of the two Houses,” clarified one of the Nitish’s minister Shravan Kumar, adding that it’s up to Nitish to take a call on when to quit as the Chief Minister of Bihar.

Nitish, who completed his Samriddhi Yatra on March 26, never uttered a word on how long he will continue as Bihar CM or, for that matter, when he will take oath as Rajya Sabha member.

However, ruling party sources hinted that Nitish may take oath as Rajya Sabha member in the second week of April. “Most probably, Nitish will take oath as Rajya Sabha member on April 13. Around the same time, he will quit as Bihar CM and the BJP will have its own CM,” said the ruling party source, dwelling at length on how a new CM will take oath after the ‘Kharmas’ (inauspicious period) ends on April 14,” said the source.

It is pertinent to note that Nitish, during his Samriddhi Yatra, has dropped ample hints that his deputy Samrat Choudhary could be the next Bihar CM. “Ab Samrat hee sab sambhalenge. “Now, Samrat will handle everything,” Nitish said on multiple occasions during his yatra.

Though the BJP has already clarified that Nitish will have his say on his successor, a section of JD (U) has been demanding that his son Nishant be elevated as Bihar CM, and not as Deputy CM. “Bihar mein ‘up-mukhyamantri’ means ‘chup up-mukhyamantri’. (In Bihar, Dy CM means a powerless Dy CM who has no say). Either make Nishant the CM, or else, if the BJP has to elect its leader, then Samrat Choudhary should be made the CM,” said senior JD (U) leader and former MP Anand Mohan. His wife Lovely Anand is a JD (U) MP, while son Chetan Anand is JD (U) MLA from Nabinagar.