Nitish Kumar files Rajya Sabha nomination after record tenure as Bihar CM

Earlier in the day, he reached the Bihar Legislative Assembly along with BJP national president Nitin Nabin and Union Home Minister Amit Shah before submitting his nomination.

Bringing the curtain down on his tenure as the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar on Thursday filed nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls which will be held on March 16.

Earlier in the day, he reached the Bihar Legislative Assembly along with BJP national president Nitin Nabin and Union Home Minister Amit Shah before submitting his nomination.

Nabin also filed his nomination along with the JD(U) chief.

Earlier in the day, Kumar said in a post on X that he long harboured a wish to become a member of both Houses of Parliament and both Houses of the state legislature. He has already been a Lok Sabha MP, an MLA, and an MLC, and a Rajya Sabha stint would complete the quartet.

#WATCH | NDA's Rajya Sabha candidates from Bihar, including Nitish Kumar and Nitin Nabin, file their nomination in the presence of Union Minister Amit Shah in Patna. pic.twitter.com/VGtsX0xl3T

— ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2026

"I want to assure you with complete honesty that my relationship with you will continue in the future as well, and my resolve to work together with you to build a developed Bihar will remain steadfast. The new government that will be formed will have my full cooperation and guidance," the JD(U) leader said.

With Nitish joining the Upper House, the door is open for the BJP to appoint its own chief minister in Bihar for the first time.

The JD(U) chief will formally enter the Upper House once the new Rajya Sabha term begins after April 9, when outgoing members retire.

There is speculation over which leader from the BJP could replace Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister. Among the frontrunners are Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Union Minister Nityanand Rai and state minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal.

Choudhary, who also handles the key Home portfolio, is considered one of the most influential BJP leaders in the state and is widely seen as the number two in the current government.