India news live updates: Nitish Kumar files Rajya Sabha nomination

JDU chief Nitish Kumar filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha.

Home Minister Amit Shah meets Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah meets Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in Patna.

PM Modi holds delegation-level talks with Finland President Alexander Stubb

Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds delegation-level talks with the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb at the Hyderabad House in Delhi.

Nitish Kumar confirms he will file nomination for Rajya Sabha

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he will be filing his nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls, which is scheduled to be held on March 16. Taking to X, Kumar shared a post saying, "From the very beginning of my parliamentary journey, there has been a desire in my heart to become a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislature as well as both Houses of Parliament. In keeping with this aspiration, I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time."

The formal process to file nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections (for the seats going to poll on March 16) started on Thursday. Parties and candidates across multiple states are filing their paperwork ahead of the deadline. Nitish Kumar is expected to file his Rajya Sabha nomination today, as part of a big political shuffle in Bihar. This is significant because if he moves to the Upper House, he will have to resign as Chief Minister of Bihar, prompting discussions on who will become the next CM.

Nearly four months after being sworn in for a record 10th term as the Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar is expected to file his nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls on Thursday. Speculation is mounting that the next Bihar Chief Minister could be from the BJP, which is the single largest party in the Bihar Assembly with 89 seats. Read more from here

JDU leader Rajeev Ranjan Patel and party supporters raised slogans in support of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar outside his residence.  Patel said, "We only want to see Nitish Kumar as the CM of Bihar. We are against Nitish Kumar going to the Rajya Sabha. We want his son Nishant Kumar to go to Rajya Sabha..."

On reports of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar going to the Rajya Sabha, JD(U) leader Sanjay Singh said, "... If he has made the decision that he wants to go to Rajya Sabiha, then we cannot oppose it, but the public of Bihar wants him to continue to be the CM of Bihar..."

Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi said Home Minister Amit Shah and the party's national president Nitin Nabin will be coming to Bihar on Thursday and participate in the nominations of all the NDA leaders. The nominations will take place between 1.30pm to 2pm.

JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may reportedly may step down from the state’s top post and file his nomination for polls to the Rajya Sabha.