Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filed his nomination papers today for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, in a move widely seen as the final chapter of his tenure as the state’s longest-serving Chief Minister.
During the nomination process, senior leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President Nitin Naveen, Union Ministers Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were present.
Earlier in the day, Kumar announced on social media that he would contest for a seat in the Upper House, saying he had aspired to become a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and Parliament.
He assured the people of Bihar that his connection with the state would continue and pledged full support and guidance to the new government.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders Nitin Naveen and state general secretary Shivesh Kumar, as well as Ramnath Thakur of Janata Dal (United) and Upendra Kushwaha, chief of Rashtriya Lok Morcha, also submitted their nomination papers.
The scrutiny of nominations for the five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar is scheduled for tomorrow. Candidates can withdraw by March 9, and polling will be held on March 16.
Kumar, who was sworn in for a record 10th term as Bihar CM in November 2025, said his decision to move to the Rajya Sabha stems from his long parliamentary journey and desire to serve in both Houses of the legislature and Parliament.
Political observers note that his move has sparked intense speculation in Bihar, with discussions gaining momentum that the state could soon see its first Chief Minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission has announced polling for 37 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states, including Bihar, on March 16.
