As Nitish Kumar prepares to move to the Rajya Sabha, Bihar is heading towards a major political transition, with all eyes now on who will become the next chief minister.
The incumbent chief minister has reportedly held what can be his last Cabinet meeting on 14th April. Following his meeting, he will tender his resignation to the governor. Soon after that, he is expected to resign and submit his papers to the Governor. Preparations are already underway for the transition, including an official press briefing.
There are also clear signs that his exit is imminent. Nitish Kumar has started vacating his official residence at 7, Circular Road, which further confirms that a leadership change is around the corner.
With him stepping aside, this will mark the first time that the Bharatiya Janata Party could get the chief minister’s post in Bihar, despite being a dominant partner in the NDA alliance.
Top contenders in the race
Among those names, the one of Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary appears to be on top. He is an influential leader from the OBC community – Kushwaha – and currently holds the position of Home Affairs Minister. His choice would prove beneficial for maintaining the BJP’s caste balance.
Another potential candidate for this position is Union Minister Nityanand Rai, who is a politician with rich experience. He was twice elected as an MLA and also served as the president of the state BJP unit.
Another influential leader who is under discussion is Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, the former state BJP president. In addition to them, the names of Lakhindra Paswan and Shreyasi Singh were mentioned as well.
However, sources say there is still no full agreement within the BJP and the RSS, especially over whether the next CM should come purely from a Sangh background.
NDA dynamics and caste equations
The decision is not just political but also social. JD(U) is reportedly backing Samrat Choudhary as CM to maintain the existing caste balance. There are also discussions about Nishant Kumar becoming Deputy CM, which would keep the “Luv-Kush” social combination intact.
NDA allies are also weighing in. Jitan Ram Manjhi said, “As far as I have gathered, Samrat is likely the CM candidate.” Meanwhile, leaders from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) have also shown support for Choudhary, though some concerns remain about internal coordination within the BJP.
BJP keeps cards close to the chest
Even though the BJP is set to pick the next CM, the party leadership is not revealing any names yet. A senior leader said, “Please don’t ask the name of who would be the next CM. All I can say is that the person will be from the BJP… PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will take the final call.”
Similarly, leaders from Janata Dal (United) have also avoided speculation. Party working president Sanjay Jha said, “Everything will be clear after 13th April.”
At the same time, the BJP has appointed Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the central observer, showing how seriously it is handling the leadership decision.
The next two days are extremely important for Bihar politics. Both the BJP and JD(U) have asked their MLAs to reach Patna for key meetings. Sources say the BJP could announce its CM pick on the same day Nitish Kumar resigns.
After that, the NDA legislature party will formally approve the name and stake a claim to form the government. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place on 15th April.
