As per provision, Nitish Kumar can remain CM for next six months: Bihar Minister Sharwan Kumar

Bihar Rural Development Minister Sharwan Kumar on Friday (March 20, 2026) said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar can remain in the post for the next six months, despite being elected to the Rajya Sabha in the elections held recently. His comments came amid the debate over Mr. Nitish Kumar’s successor to the Chief Minister post.

He also said Mr. Nitish Kumar will resign within 14 days as member of the Bihar Legislative Council.

“One has to resign within 14 days as member of either House of the State legislature [after being elected as an MP]. He can resign within the stipulated time frame but can remain the Chief Minister of Bihar for the next six months as per provisions of the Constitution.”

The Prohibition of Simultaneous Membership Rules, 1950, framed under Article 101 of the Indian Constitution, prohibits simultaneous membership in both Parliament and State legislature. Individuals have to resign their legislature seat within 14 days of being elected to the Parliament, failing which their seat in the Parliament becomes vacant. However, Article 164 (4) of the Constitution allows a person to be appointed as Chief Minister or Minister for up to six months without being a member of the State legislature.

Asked about Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary being the frontrunner for the Chief Minister post, Mr. Sharwan Kumar said: “I have heard his name the same way you have heard it. I must tell you that big leaders will take the decision.”

He added, “There is less truth in what you see in the media. The decision taken by big leaders once they sit together finally turns out to be true.”

During the ongoing Samriddhi Yatra, Mr. Nitish Kumar had hinted that Mr. Choudhary would be his successor. 

Asked specifically when the name of the next Chief Minister would be announced, Mr. Sharwan Kumar, also a close confidante of Mr. Nitish Kumar hailing from the same caste (Kurmi) and district (Nalanda), said: “It may be possible this month or next month. Nitishji has been elected to the Rajya Sabha and the term of the current Rajya Sabha member ends on April 9, so Nitishji will take oath after that. Once he takes the oath, only then the decision over the formation of government will be taken.”

On March 19, during the Iftar party of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), its founder and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi also batted for Mr. Choudhary as Chief Minister when asked by reporters.

“Nitish Kumar is a transparent person and he does what he thinks. If he is giving such indications about a leader, it should be understood that he will not back out. I also think that Samrat Choudhary could be the choice of Nitish Kumar for the post of Chief Minister,” Mr. Manjhi said.

Meanwhile, the fourth phase of Samriddhi Yatra, the outreach programme launched by Mr. Nitish Kumar to review schemes and interact with people, ended on March 20 after covering eight districts. The fifth phase of the yatra would begin from March 23.

The Chief Minister will start the fifth phase from Jehanabad, and cover Arwal, Kaimur, Rohtas, Buxar, Bhojpur, and his his hometown Nalanda, before concluding in Patna on March 26.

He ended his yatra by visiting Gaya and Aurangabad districts, where he reviewed ongoing development projects.