Nitish Kumar Resigns… But Who Will Be Bihar’s Next Chief Minister? – HE Explained

New Delhi: On Tuesday, Nitish Kumar stepped down as the Chief Minister of Bihar, officially leaving his current tenure and initiating a swift change of leadership in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Kumar resigned to the Governor soon after he chaired his last cabinet meeting where the state government had recommended dissolution. The transition was rapid and well-organised, which meant that the transition plan was already developed in the alliance.

The BJP took over the leadership process within hours of his resignation. Samrat Choudhary was chosen as the leader of the BJP legislative party, which made him a strong contender to the Chief Minister position. The figures are very much in favour of the BJP, which has 89 seats in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the largest party in the Assembly.

According to sources in various reports, Samrat Choudhary is likely to be sworn in as the next Chief Minister as early as April 15. This will be a big change in Bihar politics, as the BJP will assume direct control of the state government rather than being a partner in the alliance.

The resignation of Nitish Kumar is not associated with any immediate political instability since the NDA still has a decisive majority in the Assembly. Rather, the development is being considered as a power shift in the alliance. It is highly likely that Kumar can now shift to a national political position, perhaps in the Rajya Sabha, but still remain influential in leading the alliance.

The probable rise of Choudhary is indicative of the long-term Bihar positioning of the BJP. He is considered to be a politically strong and organisationally reliable leader, having served as the Deputy Chief Minister and managing important portfolios. His appointment is an indication of continuity in the governance, but with a definite shift in the leadership control.

As the swearing-in is likely to happen in the next 24 hours, Bihar will experience one of the quickest leadership changes in recent years, and the new political era of the BJP will commence.