Bihar CM Nitish Kumar resigns from legislative council ahead of Rajya Sabha entry

NEW DELHI: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday resigned from the legislative council, days after securing a berth in the Rajya Sabha, marking quiet but consequential shift in Bihar politics.For Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister, the move signals more than a routine transition, it hints at the closing of an era and the possible rise of new leadership, with the BJP poised to stake claim to the top post with one of its own. Kumar's departure from state politics also draws the curtain on his decades-long rivalry with Lalu Prasad Yadav. Now largely absent from active politics and barred from contesting elections, Lalu continues to helm the RJD, with Tejashwi Yadav as its principal face and also leader of the opposition in the assembly.On Sunday, Mokama MLA Anant Singh confirmed that Kumar would step down on Monday.On March 5, Nitish Kumar announced his decision to step down from Bihar’s top post and move to the Rajya Sabha, framing it as the fulfilment of a long-held political ambition.In a post on X, Kumar said he had always aspired to serve in both Houses of the Bihar legislature as well as both Houses of Parliament. Reflecting on his tenure, he thanked the people for their “trust and support” over more than two decades, crediting it for enabling his government to deliver “development and dignity” to the state. He added that his shift to the Rajya Sabha was in line with that aspiration, while assuring that his “bond” with the people of Bihar would remain intact. Kumar also pledged full cooperation and guidance to the new government that will take charge.The announcement came less than four months after he led the NDA to a sweeping victory in the state elections. The veteran leader, who recently turned 75 and was sworn in for a record tenth term in November, is now set to transition to national politics. His move opens the door for the Bharatiya Janata Party to appoint its own chief minister in Bihar for the first time.