Finally, CM Nitish Kumar Has Spoken About His Desire To Join Rajya Sabha.

Patna; March 2026: It is now official; Bihar’s incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has confirmed that he will be heading to the Rajya Sabha and will file his nomination in the current cycle of elections.

The 75-year old further said that the new Cabinet would have his full support. “For more than two decades, you have consistently placed your trust and support in me, and it is on the strength of that trust that we have served Bihar and all of you with complete dedication. It was the power of your trust and support that has enabled Bihar today to present a new dimension of development and dignity. For this, I have expressed my gratitude to you many times in the past as well. From the very beginning of my parliamentary journey, there has been a desire in my heart to become a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislature as well as both Houses of Parliament. In keeping with this aspiration, I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time. I want to assure you with complete honesty that my relationship with you will continue in the future as well, and my resolve to work together with you to build a developed Bihar will remain steadfast. The new government that will be formed will have my full cooperation and guidance”, Nitish Kumar posted on X.

Nitish Kumar is Bihar’s longest serving Chief Minister. Kumar has had a chequered political career. He entered politics as a member of the Janata Dal, becoming an MLA in 1985. Kumar and George Fernandes then formed the Samata Party in 1994. In 1996 he was elected to the Lok Sabha, and served as a Union Minister in the Vajpayee government. In 2005, the NDA won a majority in the Bihar

Legislative Assembly, and Kumar became chief minister heading a coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In the 2010 state elections, the governing coalition won reelection in a landslide. In June 2013, Kumar broke with the BJP forming a coalition with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress. In 2014 he was replaced by Jitan Ram Manjhi, but returned to the position in 2015 leading the Mahagathbandhan to victory later that year. In 2017, Kumar broke with the RJD and returned to the NDA leading another coalition with the BJP; at the 2020 state elections. In August 2022, Kumar left the NDA, rejoining the Mahagathbandhan. In January 2024, Kumar left the Mahagathbandhan once again and rejoined the NDA. In 2025, he won his fifth election in a landslide and was sworn as CM for the 10th time.

As it is being apprehended that Nitish Kumar’s return to the national arena could also pave the way for the BJP to have a greater say in the government in Bihar and perhaps even stake claim to the CM’s chair.

Meanwhile, as the news of Nitish Kumar went viral, party workers have started demonstrating all along Bihar opposing the JD(U) chief’s speculated move to the Rajya Sabha. Janata Dal (United) workers on Thursday surrounded party leader and Hilsa MLA Krishna Murari Sharan’s car, stopping him from entering the residence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

JD(U) workers have opposed CM Nitish Kumar’s speculated move to file nomination for Rajya Sabha elections as they want him to continue to lead the state. A JD(U) worker told reporters that conspiracies are hatched against Nitish Kumar as he affirmed that the supporters want the Bihar CM to complete his term. “Conspiracies are being hatched against Nitish Kumar. The people of Bihar have elected him as the Chief Minister from 2025 to 2030. What is the compulsion to send him to the Rajya Sabha? He will remain the Chief Minister. Our leader was, is and will be Nitish Kumar”, he said.

Nitish Kumar is likely to file the nomination for the Rajya Sabha election today, a move that will require him to resign from the post of Bihar Chief Minister, according to JD(U) sources. Earlier, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Chief and Union Minister Chirag Paswan dismissed speculation of a leadership change in Bihar, stating there is no discussion regarding a new Chief Minister in the state. “There’s no discussion on changing the Chief Minister. Nitish Kumar will continue to lead Bihar, and our double-engine government is working well”, said the Union Minister.

Congress leader Raashid Alvi alleged that the BJP is planning to remove Nitish Kumar from state politics by offering him a seat in the Rajya Sabha. Alvi claimed this move is to “complete control of Bihar”, designed to allow the BJP to install its own Chief Minister in Bihar.

Reacting to the official statement of CM Nitish Kumar where has reiterated his willingness of joining the Upper House as a member Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha has drawn an analogy with captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Nitish Kumar filing a nomination for the Rajya Sabha, saying the situation resembles a “desi version of the Maduro model” or a case of “kidnapping by consent”.

In December 2025, the United States carried out strikes on Venezuela and captured President Nicolas

Maduro, along with his wife, Cilia Flores. The RJD MP said the sudden emergence of such reports across multiple media platforms suggests the issue is not merely based on rumours or planted stories.

“Look, what we want to say clearly is that from yesterday afternoon, this news suddenly started surfacing on every media platform. The way this news has emerged indicates that there is some truth behind it; it is not merely speculation, rumour, or planted stories. In itself, this reflects the story of the end of a political chapter. What is important is that when I was asked for my first reaction yesterday, I said that many times even a ‘desi’ version can resemble the ‘Maduro’ model, the Venezuelan premier’s

model of kidnapping by consent, captivity with consent, where the consent is not given by the individual concerned but by those around him,” Manoj Jha told reporters.

Bihar Minister Ramkripal Yadav today have stated that it is an internal matter of the Janata Dal (United) and the CM’s decision is paramount, while terming the opposition as “troubled”. Speaking to media outlets on reports of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar going to the Rajya Sabha, Bihar Minister Ramkripal Yadav said it is an internal matter of JD(U). “Nitish Kumar’s decision is paramount”: Minister Yadav said. “This is an internal matter of the Janata Dal (United), and they will make the decision. His

decision is paramount”, he added.

While taking a dig at the opposition, he said they are troubled because they are getting nothing and their credibility is eroding daily. Every day, the opposition’s credibility is eroding, so they are very distressed. The NDA is united, and all are working together to run the government. In the last 21 years, under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, Bihar has progressed and developed”, he added.

Suvro Sanyal – Team Maverick.