Nitish Kumar: Nitish Kumar heads to Delhi, how JD(U) faces its defining test in Bihar | India News

New Delhi: Bihar politics has revolved around Jaiprakash Narayan’s disciples – Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav – for over three decades. With Lalu retiring from active politics and Nitish now opting for a Rajya Sabha seat in the state’s top post, Bihar seems to be entering an unknown phase, with a new face likely to take over as Chief Minister.After an overwhelming performance in the recently held Bihar Assembly elections, Nitish filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

“I want to be a member of the Rajya Sabha in this election. I want to assure you in all honesty that my relationship with you will continue in the future and my resolve to work together with you to build a better Bihar will remain steadfast. I will have my full cooperation and guidance in the new government that will be formed,” the 75-year-old politician wrote.While many expected the move amid speculation about his deteriorating health, Nitish’s sudden announcement still surprised many who expected a smooth transition plan.In the coming days, Nitish is expected to win the election unopposed and move to the Rajya Sabha, thus resigning as Chief Minister. The Janata Dal (United) chief’s decision not only ends the political dynasty of JP Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpuri Thakur in Bihar but also throws his party into uncharted waters without a clear roadmap for the future.Who after Nitish?Nitish has long been ‘Peer-Bawarchi-Vhisti-Khar’ for his party. Although never having an outright majority in the state assembly, Nitish KumarIts “Governance Babu” image helped the party stay in the driver’s seat of Bihar politics for over two decades.However, the party never nurtured a second line of command beyond Nitish. Leaders like Sanjay Jha, Lalan Singh and Vijay Chaudhary exist within the party, but none enjoy mass connection with the JD(U)’s core vote base.Additionally, Nitish has always been a staunch opponent of dynastic politics. In his long political career, he never allowed his family members to enter politics in any form. Unlike Lalu, who made his son Tejashwi Yadav his political successor, Nitish’s son Nishant has stayed away from politics.

Amidst these ongoing developments, speculation is mounting that Nishant may make a political debut, with the party eyeing him as a potential link to its core supporters.“Now, it is clear, and it is final, that Nishant Kumar will join active politics. The party will make a formal announcement in a day or two. Party workers have been clamoring for Nishant’s entry into politics for years. Now party workers and supporters are excited about the decision ahead of Holi,” senior JD(U) leader Shravan Kumar told news agency PTI.However, Nitish’s brother-in-law Anil Kumar accused Sanjay Jha and Lallan Singh of conspiring against the JD(U).“The workers are clearly saying that Sanjay Jha and Lalan (Rajeev Ranjan) Singh are involved… This cannot happen without a conspiracy… All the workers are saying the names of Sanjay Jha and Lalan Singh,” he said. In a conversation with Times of India, political analyst Kumar Vijay said that the future of JD(U) looks bleak after Nitish Kumar’s exit from the center stage of Bihar politics.

“Nitish Kumar’s exit in this manner is not a normal political transition. If it was a normal process, it would have been different. Everyone says Nitish Kumar’s health is not good, but the way things have unfolded has surprised many. As it turns out, the future of JD(U) looks very difficult. People say that Nishant might take over, but nothing seems to be happening around him, but he doesn’t have much open political experience yet. Internally, it is open to Nitish Kumar. preventing to say,” says Vijay.“At the same time, the role of leaders like Sanjay Jha, Lalan Singh, Vijay Chaudhary and Ashok Chaudhary seems questionable. In a way, they have abandoned Nitish Kumar, and there can be no one capable of holding the JD(U) together. At the cadre level, protests have already started. Hardcore activists believe that this situation is at the hands of the JD(U),” he added.Will BJP-JD(U) merge?Kumar Vijay also feels that there may be a possibility of JD(U) merging with its ally BJP in the coming days, though not everyone in the party may take such a step.“There is also a possibility that BJP and JD(U) may merge in future, although not everyone in JD(U) will accept such a merger. Several leaders may resist it. Some leaders within the party may move to RJD, while others may join BJP,” Vijay told Times of India.

“Earlier, JD(U) workers even voted for BJP candidates because they believed that Nitish Kumar would eventually be the chief minister. But now many die-hard workers may refuse to support the BJP in future,” he added.Nitish Kumar’s decision to enter the Rajya Sabha comes just five months after he emerged as the elder brother in the BJP alliance. In the 2025 assembly elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 89 seats with 20.45% of the vote, while the JD(U) won 85 seats with 19.61% of the vote.After the landslide victory, the BJP seemed less of an alliance partner and more of a challenger trying to maneuver itself into the driver’s seat of power. It acquired a larger share in the cabinet of ministers and Nitish Kumar also had to relinquish the home portfolio.Interestingly, Bihar was the only Hindi heartland state where the party was yet to hold the top post.What will happen to Nitish Kumar’s EBC vote bank?Over time, Nitish gradually positioned himself as the “poster boy” of the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), which form the largest segment of Bihar’s population.JD(U) chief Karpoori made a conscious effort to build his support base around the entire EBC community by modeling his politics on the ideals of Tagore and focusing especially on the economically weaker sections.After his exit, questions also arose about who would benefit from the EBC vote bank.According to Kumar Vijay, no party in Bihar seems to be in a position to inherit the non-Yadav OBC and EBC vote banks.

“If Tejashwi Yadav had strong leadership credentials, that vote bank could have shifted to RJD. But the biggest tragedy in Bihar today is the lack of strong political leadership. Congress doesn’t have that, neither does RJD. Despite being a politically mature state, Bihar faces a serious leadership crisis,” he said.“Upendra Kushwaha has lost credibility. Tejashwi Yadav has not emerged as a Trinamool leader. LJPO has become a dramatic political party,” he added.For Bihar, Nitish Kumar’s move to the Rajya Sabha signals the end of a long political chapter that revolved around him, his constant coalition flip-flops and his ‘sustainable’ government. In coming days we will know who will be Chief Minister. However, the coming months will determine how his party and the politics of the state overtake him.