Nitish Kumar Sworn into Rajya Sabha, Signaling End of Record-Breaking Tenure as Bihar Chief Minister

The ceremony drew a formidable assembly of senior political figures, underscoring the gravity of the shift. In attendance were Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary, alongside BJP President JP Nadda and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. They were joined by Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, JD(U) leader and party working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. Also present during the proceedings was BJP MP and former Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

Prior to assuming his new federal role, Kumar traveled to the national capital to confirm his impending resignation. Reflecting on his decision, Kumar informed reporters that he believes his work in Bihar is largely complete and that his focus must now shift to his national responsibilities in Delhi. "I have accomplished a lot of work in Bihar. Now I felt that I should remain here," Kumar stated, further clarifying that he would resign within three or four days to facilitate the appointment of a

new Chief Minister and Cabinet.

Nitish Kumar’s departure marks the conclusion of a historic era for Bihar. His political journey began as an MLA in 1985, followed by a tenure as a Union Minister under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government before he first ascended to the Chief Minister’s office in 2005. As one of the country's most experienced and senior political leaders, Kumar’s transition from the helm of Bihar to the Rajya Sabha represents a seismic shift in regional power dynamics and the commencement of a new chapter in his extensive legislative career.