Who will be the next Bihar Chief Minister? Check top contenders

Nitish Kumar News: There is intense speculation over what formula the new government in Bihar will adopt. Many political observers believe that Bihar could see its first Chief Minister from the BJP.

Bihar Politics: With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar moving to national politics, speculations have surged over the next CM candidate. Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced that he will contest the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Kumar is likely to resign as the CM on April 9. Kumar, along with BJP president Nitin Nabin, filed his nominations for the Rajya Sabha polls in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary was also present.

The unfolding developments have sparked intense speculation about the future political landscape of Bihar, with clarity expected after the formal nomination process.

There is intense speculation over what formula the new government in Bihar will adopt. Many political observers believe that Bihar could see its first Chief Minister from the BJP. According to discussions in political circles, two Deputy Chief Ministers may be appointed from the JDU quota. Among the names being mentioned is Nishant Kumar, the son of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He may be sent to the Legislative Council, and could also take over the leadership of the JDU in the state in the future.

Samrat Choudhary leads race

Bihar BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is being seen as a frontrunner for the Chief Minister’s post. This speculation is driven by the fact that he is currently serving his second term as Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister. He also holds the Home portfolio and has significant experience working alongside Nitish Kumar. Choudhary is considered a trusted leader by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Coming from the Kushwaha community, he is also seen as fitting well into the influential “Lav-Kush” social equation in Bihar politics.

Nityanand Rai also in contention

Apart from Samrat Choudhary, Nityanand Rai is another name being discussed for the Chief Minister’s post. Rai is considered very close to Amit Shah and has been serving as Minister of State for Home Affairs in the central government since 2019. He belongs to the Yadav community, which makes up around 14 percent of Bihar’s population. Rai has also served as the Bihar BJP president and has been elected three times as an MP and four times as an MLA.

Other top contenders

Another possible contender is Janak Ram, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. He is seen as an educated Dalit face of the Bihar BJP. Currently a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), Janak Ram hails from Gopalganj district and was elected MP from Gopalganj in 2014. He has also served twice as a minister in the Nitish Kumar government.

Besides these leaders, political circles are also discussing the names of Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, Sanjeev Chaurasia, Nitish Mishra, Dilip Jaiswal, and Ramkripal Yadav. However, it remains to be seen whom the BJP ultimately chooses as its candidate for the Chief Minister’s post in Bihar.

RJD, Congress allege hijack

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the departure of Nitish Kumar proves what the Congress party was repeatedly saying during the Bihar election campaign.

“Under a conspiracy hatched by G2, a coup has been carried out in Bihar to seize power. In many ways, this is a major betrayal of the people's mandate,” said Ramesh.

Leader of Opposition and RJD national working president Tejashwi Prasad Yadav strongly alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) never wanted Nitish Kumar to continue as Chief Minister.

Tejashwi Yadav further claimed that when Nitish Kumar exited the Grand Alliance in 2024 and formed a government with the NDA, the RJD had warned that the BJP aimed to weaken the Janata Dal (United).

“These people have hijacked him and want to destroy the JD(U),” Tejashwi alleged, reiterating that public sentiment does not favour the leadership transition.