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Nitish Kumar takes Rajya Sabha oath; power shift looms in Bihar

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 10 Apr 2026, 06:58 am

New Delhi : A major power shift in Bihar’s ruling coalition is imminent as Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar took oath as a Rajya Sabha MP, succeeding his long tenure as Chief Minister of the eastern state.

Kumar’s oath was administered by Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan at a brief ceremony held in his chamber.

The event was attended by several senior leaders, including Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary, as well as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

 Nitish Kumar steps down as Bihar CM

Last month, Nitish Kumar resigned as Bihar Chief Minister after being elected to the Rajya Sabha.

Under constitutional provisions, he was required to relinquish his membership in the state legislature within 14 days of entering Parliament, as one cannot simultaneously hold positions in both.

A long political innings

At 75, Nitish Kumar is Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister, having taken oath a record 10 times.

Over the years, he has led governments aligned with both the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan, maintaining a loyal voter base despite frequent political realignments.

In 2025, when his political future appeared uncertain, Kumar staged a comeback with strong backing from women voters—often credited to welfare measures such as the bicycle scheme for schoolgirls and the statewide liquor prohibition policy.

Pressure for leadership change

However, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerging as the dominant partner in the alliance and JD(U) slipping to second place in legislative strength, pressure had been mounting for a leadership transition.

The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has also targeted Kumar over alleged age-related concerns, further fuelling speculation about a shift in leadership in Bihar.