Patna (Bihar) [India], March 30 (HBTV): Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar has resigned from his membership of the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC).
Kumar, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha earlier this month, stepped down from the state legislature as part of the transition, marking a significant political development in the state.
On March 5, the 75-year-old shared a message announcing his decision, expressing his long-standing desire to be a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislature as well as the Parliament. He reaffirmed his commitment to building a ‘developed Bihar’ and extended his ‘cooperation and guidance’ to the new government.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) welcomed Kumar’s decision and lauded his return to parliamentary politics.
A week earlier, Nitish Kumar was unanimously elected as President of the Janata Dal (United) after no other candidate filed a nomination for the post.
Kumar’s political career has been marked by significant coalition manoeuvring and ideological shifts. He began his journey as an MLA in 1985 and later served as a Union Minister under the Vajpayee government. He first became Chief Minister of Bihar in 2005 as a key figure in the NDA.
Since 2013, his tenure has seen multiple alliance shifts, alternating between the BJP and the Mahagathbandhan (RJD and Congress) in 2013, 2017, 2022, and 2024. Despite these realignments, he has remained politically resilient, most recently securing a major electoral victory in 2025 and taking oath as Chief Minister for a record tenth term.
Kumar’s move to the Rajya Sabha is expected to influence Bihar’s political landscape, potentially increasing the BJP’s role in the state and paving the way for new leadership in Patna. (ANI)