As Chief Minister Nitish Kumar prepares to resign, attention has shifted to who will lead Bihar next. The new Chief Minister is set to take oath on Wednesday, marking a major political transition in the state.
BJP set to announce CM
Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the name of the party’s first Chief Minister in Bihar will be known on Tuesday. Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is expected to reach Patna to oversee the process. Appointed as the central observer, he will supervise the election of the BJP legislature party leader.
This change is significant as the BJP is set to get its first Chief Minister in Bihar, the only Hindi heartland state where the party has not held the top post so far.
It is expected that Nitish Kumar will hold his last cabinet meeting at 11 a.m., where he will formally announce his resignation. Soon after, he will go to Raj Bhavan to submit his papers. The veteran leader, who recently turned 75 and was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP, has been the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar.
In the 243-member Assembly, the NDA holds a strong majority of 202 seats. The BJP has 89 seats, while JD(U) has 85.
Calling it an “emotional moment”, minister Dilip Jaiswal said he hopes Nitish Kumar will continue to guide the new government. He also stressed that choosing the Chief Minister is the collective decision of the legislative party.
Names in the CM race
Among the frontrunners is Samrat Choudhary, currently serving as Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister. It is said that Amit Shah had earlier promised to make him a “big leader”. However, critics argue that he is not originally from the Sangh Parivar.
Another key contender is Nityanand Rai, who has been associated with the party since the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Sources suggest the new Chief Minister may come from an OBC or Dalit background to strengthen the party’s social base.
There is also attention on Nishant Kumar, who joined JD(U) recently. There is speculation that he could be made Deputy Chief Minister, though some believe he may first gain political experience before taking on a major role.
With the decision expected soon, Bihar is set to witness a major leadership shift.
