Bihar inched closer to a major political transition on Sunday as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar convened a meeting of his Cabinet on April 14, after which he is likely to step down, making way for a Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state.
According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat Department, the meeting will be held at 11 am. It is expected to be the last meeting of the current Council of Ministers, following which Kumar, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha last week, is likely to submit his resignation to Governor Syed Ata Hasnain.
Kumar’s close aide and JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha had earlier indicated that the process of forming a new government would “roll out after April 13”, pointing to an imminent change of guard.
The BJP, which is on course to have its first Chief Minister in Bihar, has already begun preparations. The party’s parliamentary board has appointed Union minister and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the central observer to oversee the election of the legislature party leader in the state.
Senior JD(U) leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary had also said that the new Chief Minister would be elected by the NDA on the recommendation of the BJP, underlining the party’s decisive role in the transition.
Speculation over the successor has intensified, with Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary emerging as a frontrunner. Other names doing the rounds include Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, and state leaders Lakhendra Paswan and Shreyasi Singh.
Party sources suggest that caste and social equations will be key factors in the selection. Choudhary, a Koeri leader, could help maintain the ‘Luv Kush’ (Kurmi-Koeri) support base associated with Nitish Kumar. Rai, a Yadav, is seen as a potential bridge to a voter base traditionally aligned with the Rashtriya Janata Dal. Paswan’s candidature could strengthen the BJP’s outreach among Dalits, while Singh, a young Rajput leader, could project generational change and a focus on women’s representation.
Despite the intense speculation, BJP leaders have remained guarded. “Who will be the next CM is a decision to be taken by our central leadership,” senior leader Dilip Jaiswal said recently, adding that he was not in the race.
Sources also pointed to the possibility of a surprise choice by the central leadership, citing precedents in other BJP-ruled states where relatively lesser-known leaders were elevated to the top post.
Meanwhile, political observers note that Kumar’s exit would mark the end of an era in Bihar politics. Having served multiple terms as Chief Minister over nearly two decades, he has been a central figure in shaping the state’s governance and alliance politics, often playing a pivotal role in coalition formations.
If the expected transition goes through, Bihar is set to witness a significant shift in its political landscape, with the BJP assuming a more dominant role in governance under a new Chief Minister.
Also read: Nitish Kumar takes oath as Rajya Sabha MP
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