Bihar buzz: Nitish Rajya Sabha move, BJP CM talk gathers pace ahead of March 5 deadline

Patna: Talk of a leadership change in Bihar picked up sharply on Wednesday, days before the March 5 deadline for filing nominations for the March 16 Rajya Sabha biennial elections, with political circles linking Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to a possible move to the Upper House and a change at the top in Patna.

Bihar will elect five members to the Rajya Sabha on March 16. Nominations close on March 5, scrutiny is on March 6, and counting, if needed, will take place on March 16. 

The BJP has already named its candidates from Bihar, Nitin Nabin and Shivesh Kumar, signalling that the NDA has moved early on seat allocation and intends to maximise its haul.

At the same time, reports in Bihar’s political circuit have linked Nitish Kumar to a possible Rajya Sabha nomination, with the suggestion that a nomination could trigger his resignation as chief minister and clear the path for Bihar’s first BJP chief minister under the current alliance arrangement.

JD(U) and BJP leaders have not issued any official confirmation so far. 

Nitish Kumar’s office has also not commented on the matter.

The speculation has also revived focus on Nishant Kumar, with party watchers linking the leadership discussion to the possibility of a more formal political role for Nitish’s son in JD(U) in the coming months.