The veteran JD(U) leader’s shift to Parliament marks a turning point in Bihar politics, with NDA legislators meeting under Amit Shah’s leadership to discuss the transition of power in the state.
BY PC Bureau
March 5, 2026: Veteran Bihar leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha, marking a dramatic shift in the state’s political landscape and triggering intense debate over the future leadership of the ruling coalition.
Kumar was accompanied by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the filing of nomination papers, a move widely seen as a signal of the National Democratic Alliance leadership’s involvement in managing the transition in Bihar.
Earlier on arriving at Patna, Shah drove to Nitish Kumar’s residence to seek feedback on who could succeed the veteran leader as chief minister.
पिछले दो दशक से भी अधिक समय से आपने अपना विश्वास एवं समर्थन मेरे साथ लगातार बनाए रखा है, तथा उसी के बल पर हमने बिहार की और आप सब लोगों की पूरी निष्ठा से सेवा की है। आपके विश्वास और समर्थन की ही ताकत थी कि बिहार आज विकास और सम्मान का नया आयाम प्रस्तुत कर रहा है। इसके लिए पूर्व में…
— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) March 5, 2026
Kumar’s move to the Upper House follows days of intense speculation and unrest within JD(U). Sections of party workers had earlier erupted in protest after Kumar hinted at stepping away from the chief minister’s post, with some accusing BJP leaders and a few senior JD(U) figures of pressuring him into the decision.
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Protests had briefly turned chaotic outside the party office in Patna, where angry workers ransacked parts of the premises and raised slogans against senior leaders, alleging a conspiracy to sideline the long-serving chief minister. Some protesters even threatened drastic steps, including self-immolation, if Kumar was forced out.
Despite the unrest, senior NDA leaders have projected the move as part of a planned political transition, with the alliance leadership now focusing on identifying Kumar’s successor to ensure stability in the state government.
Kumar, one of the longest-serving chief ministers in the country, has been a central figure in Bihar’s politics for nearly two decades. His shift to the Rajya Sabha is expected to reshape the political equations within the NDA and influence the balance of power ahead of future electoral battles in the state.
