Bihar's longest-serving CM Nitish Kumar resigns from the Legislative Council

Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar resigned from his membership of the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC). Kumar, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha earlier this month, tendered his resignation from the state legislature as part of the transition, marking a significant political development in the state. On March 5, the 75-year-old penned a heartfelt message announcing his decision. He expressed his longing desire to be a member of both houses of the Bihar Legislature as well as the Houses of Parliament. He asserted his commitment to building a "developed Bihar" and extended his "cooperation and guidance" to the new government. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) welcomed Kumar's decision and lauded his return to the parliamentary democracy. A week earlier, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was unanimously elected as President of the Janata Dal (United) after no other candidate filed a nomination for the post. Nitish Kumar's political career is a masterclass in coalition manoeuvring, marked by a series of high-stakes ideological shifts. Beginning his journey as an MLA in 1985 and later serving as a Union Minister under the Vajpayee government, he first ascended to the Bihar Chief Minister's office in 2005 as a pillar of the NDA. Since 2013, however, his tenure has been defined by a "revolving door" of alliances, alternating between the BJP and the Mahagathbandhan (RJD and Congress) in 2013, 2017, 2022, and 2024. Despite these frequent realignments, his political survival remains unparalleled; most recently, he secured a fifth electoral landslide in 2025, taking the oath as Chief Minister for a record-breaking tenth time. Kumar's move to the Rajya Sabha could reshape Bihar's political landscape, potentially giving the BJP more influence in the state and setting the stage for a new leadership in Patna.