Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The BJP is on the threshold of a historic first in Bihar. After a long wait – spanning first the Lalu era and then the Nitish era in Bihar – the saffron party is all set to get its first chief minister in the state. This follows JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar’s “voluntary decision” to return to national politics, marking the biggest political transition in the state in recent times. Chief minister Nitish Kumar, who led the NDA alliance to a thumping victory in the assembly elections just four months ago, today filed his nomination papers for Rajya Sabha paving the way for a change of guard in the state.Announcing his decision, Nitish Kumar said in a post on X: “For more than two decades, you have consistently placed your trust and support in me, and it is on the strength of that trust that we have served Bihar and all of you with complete dedication. It was the power of your trust and support that has enabled Bihar today to present a new dimension of development and dignity. In keeping with this aspiration, I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time.“Nitish Kumar’s move marks the end of an era in Bihar politics. But does it come as a surprise? The answer is “no”. The transition was widely anticipated especially after the BJP edged past the JD(U) as the largest party in the ruling coalition for the second time in a row. In the 2025 assembly elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party winning 89 seats with a vote share of 20.45% while the JD(U)’s score was 85 with 19.61% votes. However, the BJP did not stake claim to the top post and Nitish Kumar took oath as chief minister for the record 10th time. But the dominance of BJP in decision-making became evident as the saffron party got a lion’s share in the new council of ministers and for the first time Nitish Kumar had to let go of the all-important home portfolio. The swearing-in ceremony of Nitish Kumar was more of a BJP show of strength. It was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and a number of their cabinet colleagues, besides CMs of several states ruled by the BJP.In fact, the BJP could have claimed the top post in Bihar six years back in 2020. The BJP had then won 74 seats with a vote share of 19.46%. This was almost double of what Nitish Kumar’s party had won: 43 assembly seats with a vote share of 15.39%. However, the BJP decided to honour its pre-poll commitment of making Nitish Kumar the chief minister if the alliance won the elections. The BJP perhaps did not have an option then as Lalu Prasad’s RJD had won 75 seats and would have readily supported Nitish Kumar to keep the BJP out. So, Nitish Kumar continued as chief minister. However, the power dynamics within the Bihar NDA had changed as the BJP for the first time became the senior ally in the coalition. It has been a long wait for the BJP to have its first chief minister in Bihar. It is the only Hindi heartland state where the party has not held the top office so far. The BJP and the JD(U) came together in the state for the first time in 2005. From 2005 to 2015, the JD(U), guided by Nitish Kumar’s towering presence, was the dominant partner in the coalition. Even number wise, the JD(U) was always ahead of the BJP – forcing the saffron party to play second fiddle in the state coalition. Such was the dominance of Nitish Kumar in state politics, that the BJP was forced to welcome him back with open arms twice after the JD(U) left the NDA and joined hands with the rival Mahagathbandhan. It is in this context that the turn of events in Bihar is significant for the BJP. Its rivals have been quick to draw parallels from Maharashtra to attack the saffron party for coercing Nitish Kumar into submission. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, alleged that the BJP had always been opposed to Dalits and OBCs, and with Kumar leaving the CM’s post the party would attempt to implement its agenda in the socialist stronghold.“The BJP has done a Maharashtra in Bihar. We have been saying from the very beginning that the BJP will not let Nitish Kumar remain the chief minister after the elections. This is exactly what has happened. This development is against the mandate of the people and amounts to a betrayal of it,” he said.Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “What the Indian National Congress had been saying often during the Bihar election campaign has now come to pass.”“A leadership coup and regime change orchestrated by G2 has taken place. It is, in many ways, a huge betrayal of the mandate of the people,” Ramesh said on X.For the BJP, the next big challenge would be to keep the caste considerations in mind in deciding the next chief minister of the state. The names of some big contenders – Samrat Choudhary who is the deputy chief minister, Nityanand Rai, who is a Union minister are already doing the rounds. But these big names will be keeping their fingers crossed given the BJP track record. It has rarely chosen prominent faces to lead the government and has instead always surprised by picking up unknown leaders for the post of chief minister.
