After sudden Rajya Sabha move, what lies ahead for Nitish, JD(U) and Bihar?

Barely four months after taking oath for a record tenth term as Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha on Thursday (March 5), triggering intense political discussion over the future leadership of the state. In this episode of Capital Beat, veteran journalist Javed Ansari, RJD spokesperson Dr Jayant Jigyasu, and senior journalist Faizan Ahmed discussed this development, with the panel examining the circumstances surrounding the move and the potential implications for Bihar’s political landscape.

Timing of move raises political questions

The panel discussion highlighted questions surrounding the timing of the Rajya Sabha nomination, which came just months after Nitish took oath for his tenth term as chief minister.

Faizan Ahmed said the development was not entirely unexpected but the timing had surprised many observers. “It was not a surprise move, but the timing is really very interesting. Nobody expected that Nitish Kumar will prefer to go to Rajya Sabha leaving his chief ministerial post,” he said.

Ahmed also questioned the language used in the public message released by Nitish Kumar. “Everybody who knows Nitish Kumar closely has suspicion. They are not confident that it is written by Nitish Kumar because this is not the language,” he said.

He also pointed to earlier political messaging during the Bihar elections. “That slogan was coined with the consent of Nitish Kumar — ‘25 se 30’. It was to counter speculation that the BJP would install its own chief minister,” Ahmed said.

Speculation over BJP leadership in Bihar

The discussion also turned to the possibility that the BJP could now install its own chief minister in Bihar.

Ahmed said: “It has now become clearly evident that BJP is not ready to wait for five more years to install its own chief minister.”

He added that the decision could lead to a BJP leader taking over the post for the first time in the state’s political history. “BJP is now going to form its government in the first time in the history of Bihar where the chief minister of BJP will take over after Nitish Kumar has paved the way for him,” he said.

When asked about potential contenders, Ahmed referred to several names within the BJP. “Deputy chief minister number one is Samrat Chaudhary, deputy CM number two is Vijay Sinha, then Nityanand Rai,” he said.

He also said there was speculation about a different possibility. “There are speculations BJP will bring some hardcore RSS man as chief minister of Bihar,” he said.

RJD calls development ‘tragic and ungraceful’

Dr Jigyasu of the RJD described the development as a difficult moment for Bihar politics.

“It is very sad to see the very tragic and ungraceful exit of Nitish ji from the political scene of Bihar,” he said during the discussion.

Jigyasu said Nitish Kumar had served the state for nearly two decades and that the development had triggered reactions among supporters. “We are seeing very strong reaction coming from the well wishers, supporters and voters of the JD(U),” he said.

He also questioned the reasoning cited for the Rajya Sabha nomination. “I don’t remember one single incident that a serving chief minister keeps a long desire to represent all the four houses,” he said.

Jigyasu further described the development as “a classic example of forced consent.”

Debate over circumstances behind move

The panelists also debated the broader circumstances that could have led to the decision.

Ahmed suggested there could have been pressure behind the move. “There must have been some tremendous pressure on him,” he said.

He also referred to reports regarding external pressures related to policy debates in the state. “There was pressure from this liquor lobby and now they are very happy because total prohibition will go now,” Ahmed said.

The discussion also touched on internal political dynamics within the Janata Dal (United). Jigyasu said certain leaders within the party had contributed to the current situation.

“These four friends — Sanjay Jha, Lalan Singh, Vijay Chaudhary and Ashok Chaudhary — they have betrayed Nitish Kumar,” he said.

Veteran journalist weighs in on political shift

Veteran journalist Javed Ansari said the move should not necessarily be viewed as forced or abrupt.

“I don’t think there is anything unceremonious about this. I think this is with his consent. This is scripted,” Ansari said.

He added that the change could mark a significant political transition in Bihar. “Once that happens, the rules of the game change. It will be the BJP that will be calling the shots,” he said.

Ansari said the political environment in the state could shift if the BJP leads the government directly. “Things will not be the same in Bihar,” he said.

Possible role for Nitish Kumar in national politics

Ansari also discussed the possible role Nitish Kumar might play in national politics after entering the Rajya Sabha.

“At least in the beginning he will remain a Rajya Sabha member but eventually I think he will make it to the cabinet,” he said.

He noted that Nitish Kumar had previously served as a Union minister. “They will find a respectable portfolio for him and adjust him,” Ansari said.

He also stressed the importance of maintaining the alliance between the BJP and JD(U). “This alliance can only succeed if Nitish Kumar is on board,” Ansari said.

Future political dynamics remain uncertain

The panel concluded that the development could mark a significant shift in Bihar politics while leaving several questions unanswered.

Ansari said the broader consequences would depend on how the political transition unfolds. “Political management will play a role, but you can’t rule out anything as far as Nitish Kumar is concerned,” he said.

He also underlined the larger political implications if the BJP leads the state government directly. “A BJP-led government will for the first time be able to implement its agenda. There will be changes in Bihar’s politics and administration,” Ansari said.

(The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)