Nitish Kumar will resign as Bihar Chief Minister today, ending his two-decade era after recently taking oath as a Rajya Sabha MP. With NDA’s strong majority, Samrat Choudhary leads the race to become the state’s first Chief Minister from the BJP

Patna: Bihar is about to see a major political change. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will hold his final cabinet meeting at 11 am today and then submit his resignation to the Governor. After this, a new government is expected to take oath on April 15. At the center of this change, Samrat Choudhary has consistently topped the list of probable Chief Ministers in many news reports.

Nitish Kumar’s Exit: The End of a Two-Decade Era

Nitish Kumar, who took oath for a record 10th term as Chief Minister following the NDA’s landslide victory in the November 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, is moving to national politics. He was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha member on April 10, 2026, after being elected unopposed. He had resigned from the Bihar Legislative Council on March 30 to facilitate this move. The NDA secured 202 seats in the 243-member Assembly, with the BJP emerging as the single-largest party for the first time.

This resignation marks the formal end of Nitish Kumar’s uninterrupted dominance over Bihar’s politics since 2005. Sources confirm he conveyed his preference for a smooth succession to the BJP leadership before stepping aside.

The Samriddhi Yatra Endorsement That Set the Tone

Support for Samrat Choudhary grew strongly during Nitish Kumar’s Samriddhi Yatra across the state in March 2026. During several public rallies, especially in Jamui and Nawada, Nitish Kumar openly showed his support. He placed his hand on Choudhary’s shoulder and said, “Aage yehi sab dekhenge” and “Yahi sab dekhenge Bihar ko,” meaning that Choudhary would handle Bihar’s future.

These statements, made in front of senior leaders like Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, were widely seen as a clear signal of support. Later, JD(U) leaders confirmed that Nitish Kumar had shared his choice with the BJP leadership.

Samrat Choudhary: From RJD Roots to BJP’s Face in Bihar

Samrat Choudhary, born on November 16, 1968, in Munger district, has seen a rapid rise in Bihar politics. Also known as Rakesh Kumar, he started his political journey with the RJD, then moved to JD(U), and joined the BJP around 2017.

He served as Bihar BJP president and later became the leader of the BJP Legislature Party before the 2024 government formation.

After the NDA’s 2025 victory, he won the Tarapur seat by over 45,000 votes. He then became Deputy Chief Minister again, along with Vijay Kumar Sinha.

He now handles the important Home Ministry. This marks the first time in 20 years that a BJP leader holds this post in Bihar.

He has taken a strict stand on law and order and even said that “the bulldozer is ready” to act against criminal elements.

His Koeri (OBC) background represents about 4.2% of Bihar’s population. It aligns well with the “Luv-Kush” caste combination (Koeri-Kurmi alliance) built by Nitish Kumar over the years.

Reports from major media outlets place him at the top. They cite his experience, close ties with Nitish, strong election performance, and support from NDA allies.

Other Contenders in the Race

Even though Samrat Choudhary is the leading candidate, the BJP has also discussed other senior leaders. These include:

• Nityanand Rai is a Union Minister and a strong OBC leader.
• Sanjay Jaiswal previously served as Bihar BJP president.
• Dilip Jaiswal is the current Bihar BJP president.
• Janak Ram is a senior leader from the Scheduled Castes category.
• Sanjeev Chaurasia is a five-time MLA from the EBC category.

Some sections within the BJP and RSS prefer a leader with a strong Sangh or ABVP background. However, factors like caste balance, Nitish Kumar’s support, governance continuity, and alliance unity have kept Choudhary ahead in the race.

Meanwhile, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been appointed as the central observer for today’s NDA legislative party meeting.

Recent Developments and Heightened Activity

Political activity has increased a lot in the last two days. On April 12, Samrat Choudhary met Nitish Kumar at his residence in Patna for discussions. Security has been increased at Choudhary’s home due to growing speculation. Posters calling him the next Chief Minister have appeared outside the BJP office in Patna.

Senior leaders from BJP and JD(U) have also held several meetings, including at Choudhary’s residence.

Caste Arithmetic, Alliance Stability, and Historic Shift

If Samrat Choudhary becomes Chief Minister, he will be Bihar’s first BJP CM. This will be a historic moment for the party in a major Hindi-speaking state where it has never held the top post before.

This decision also keeps the NDA’s social and caste balance intact while showing a clear shift of power, as the BJP is now the largest party with 89 seats in 2025.

At the same time, it will ensure continuity in governance, especially in areas like law and order, while keeping the NDA alliance strong.

When the Result of the Election Will Be Out?

The BJP Legislature Party meeting will take place at 3 pm today at the party’s state office. After that, the NDA Legislature Party meeting will be held at 4 pm in the Central Hall of the Bihar Legislative Assembly.

The result for the new leader is expected to be announced by this evening (April 14). The new Chief Minister and cabinet will likely take oath on April 15 at 11 am at Lok Bhavan.