Nitish Kumar

Bihar after Nitish Kumar: A key test of BJP-JD(U) equations ahead

In his absence, will the BJP become more like the JD(U)? Or will the JD(U) become more like the BJP?

As Nitish Kumar eyes Rajya Sabha seat, a look at the longest-serving CMs

Nitish Kumar, Bihar's longest-serving CM, does not feature among India's top five longest-serving chief ministers and currently ranks eighth with a cumulative tenure of 19 years and 199 days

As Nitish Kumar steps aside, Bihar faces an unfinished political agenda

As Nitish Kumar steps aside after two decades, Bihar faces a political transition while grappling with persistent poverty, fiscal stress and large-scale youth migration

Nitish Kumar's son Nishant joins JD(U) amid buzz over deputy CM role

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son Nishant Kumar joined the JD(U) on Sunday and said he would work to strengthen the party's organisation. Nishant, an engineering graduate who is in his 40s, was inducted into the party at its headquarters here in the presence of top leaders, including Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' and JD(U)'s national working president Sanjay Jha. After joining the party, Nishant said, "My father decided to go to the Rajya Sabha. It was his personal decision. We all respect it. We will keep working under his guidance. I will work to strengthen the organisation." Nishant claimed his father, as the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar, did a lot for the state in the last twenty years. People of the state will never forget the CM's contribution to the state's development, he said. "I thank everyone. I will honour the trust you all have placed in me. The country, our state and I are proud of what my father has done in the last 20 years. I will take

'Will work to strengthen party': Nitish Kumar's son Nishant joins JD(U)

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son Nishant Kumar joined the JD(U) on Sunday and said he will work to strengthen the party's organisation. Nishant, an engineering graduate who is in his 40s, was inducted into the party at its headquarters here in the presence of top leaders, including Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' and JD(U)'s national working president Sanjay Jha. After joining the party, Nishant said, "My father decided to go to Rajya Sabha, it was his personal decision. We all respect it. We will keep working under his guidance. I will work to strengthen the organisation". Nishant claimed his father, as the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar, did a lot for the state in the last twenty years. "People of the state will never forget his (Nitish) contribution to the state's development," he said. Nishant received a rousing reception at the JD(U) office on his arrival. Party functionaries gathered outside the office and were seen waving party flags and beating .

Nitish's son Nishant to join JD(U) today, buzz grows over deputy CM role

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son Nishant Kumar will formally join the JD(U) on Sunday, marking a generational shift in party leadership, sources said. Nishant met party MLAs and MLCs at the residence of JD(U)'s working national president Sanjay Jha here on Friday and discussed his future strategies at length. Senior JD(U) leader Sharvan Kumar was the only Bihar minister present in the meeting. Nishant, an engineering graduate who is in his 40s, will join the JD(U) at its headquarters here in the presence of senior leaders, including Jha, party sources said. On the rare occasions that he is seen in public, Nishant has endeared himself to the people by his humility. Also, while interacting with the media, he has given glimpses of the close track he keeps of the good work done by his father. Meanwhile, speculations are rife that Nishant will be made deputy CM in the new government. A close aide of Nitish Kumar claimed on Saturday that a "unanimous" decision had been taken to

Day after Nitish filed RS nomination, JD(U) workers continue to vent spleen

JD(U) workers on Friday continued to protest the decision of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to enter the Rajya Sabha, a move seen as signalling the end of his more than two-and-a-half-decade-long stint in Bihar politics. At the JD(U) office here, situated right across the street from the BJP's state headquarters, irate party workers staged a demonstration alleging that "traitors" had hatched a "conspiracy" with the alliance partner to "get rid of" their leader, who had been an eyesore for the "powerful liquor lobby" ever since he brought prohibition. "There are some people in our party who are playing the role of Jaichand (12th-century Rajput chieftain who aided Afghan invader Muhammad Ghori). One is in the Union cabinet, and the other has come from the BJP and is lording over us now", an irate JD(U) worker alleged. The allusion was to Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan, an old aide of Nitish Kumar and a former party president, and Sanjay Kumar Jha, the JD(U)'s working ...

Nitish files RS nomination; Bihar govt likely to be headed by BJP CM

Nitish Kumar filed his Rajya Sabha nomination on Thursday, signalling his exit as Bihar CM and setting off a tussle over succession as Opposition parties term the move a betrayal of the 2025 mandate

Nitish, Nitin Nabin, Pawar set to get elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha

Bihar's longest serving chief minister Nitish Kumar and BJP president Nitin Nabin are set to enter Rajya Sabha unopposed while NCP-SP supremo and veteran politician Sharad Pawar will return to the upper house once again after they filed their nomination papers on Thursday. The leaders were among the 40 candidates who filed their papers on the last day of nomination for 37 seats that are falling vacant in 10 states, leading to a keen contest for one seat each Bihar, Odisha and Haryana. Seven seats are falling vacant in Maharashtra, six in Tamil Nadu, five each in Bihar and West Bengal, four in Odisha, three in Assam and two each in Haryana, Telangana and Chhattisgarh, besides one seat in Himachal Pradesh. The scrutiny of papers will take place on Friday, and the nominations can be withdrawn till March 9. If needed, polling will be held on March 16. In Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam, assembly elections are likely to be held in April. The BJP is set to increase its tally in the Up

Huge betrayal of people's mandate: Congress on Nitish Kumar's move to RS

With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announcing that he will be contesting the Rajya Sabha polls, the Congress on Thursday said a "leadership coup and regime change orchestrated by G2" has taken place and is a "huge betrayal" of the mandate of the people. Kumar on Thursday announced that he will be contesting the Rajya Sabha polls, bringing the curtain down on his tenure as the longest-serving CM of Bihar. He said the new government that will be formed in the state will have his full cooperation and guidance. Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "What the Indian National Congress had been saying often during the Bihar election campaign has now come to pass." "A leadership coup and regime change orchestrated by G2 has taken place. It is, in many ways, a huge betrayal of the mandate of the people," Ramesh said on X. Earlier, Kumar, expressing gratitude to the people of the state, said, "For more than two decades, you

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar confirms Rajya Sabha bid, thanks voters for trust

Nitish Kumar confirms he will seek entry to the Rajya Sabha, saying it fulfils a long-held goal, while the question of who will replace him as Bihar chief minister remains open

BJP leader dismisses rumours of Nitish Kumar moving to RS as Holi prank

Bihar was abuzz with speculation on Wednesday over rumours that JD(U) president and the state's longest-serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may move to the Rajya Sabha, paving the way for the BJP to take the top post while accommodating his son Nishant as deputy CM. However, senior BJP leader and Union minister Giriraj Singh dismissed the rumour as a "Holi prank", asserting "Nitish Kumar ji is the chief minister". The filing of nomination papers for five Rajya Sabha seats in the state will close on Thursday. While the BJP has named its two candidates, including national general secretary Nitin Nabin, and confirmed a second consecutive term for junior NDA ally Upendra Kushwaha, the JD(U) is yet to officially announce its nominees. The rumours of Kumar, who turned 75 earlier this month, being one of the candidates of JD(U), surfaced a day after the party had announced that his son Nishant would be making a belated entry into politics. Earlier, there were speculations that the reclus

Bihar MFI Bill unlikely to hit RBI-regulated lenders, say experts

Shares of microfinance focused lenders saw sharp drop on Friday

Bihar CM transfers ₹10k each to 2.5 mn women under Mahila Rojgar Yojana

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday transferred Rs 10,000 each to the bank accounts of 25 lakh women under the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana', which aims to promote women's empowerment through self-employment and livelihood opportunities. Kumar disbursed a total amount of Rs 2,500 crore through direct benefit transfer (DBT) at a function held here at his official residence, 1 Anne Marg, officials in the CMO said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched Bihar's 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana' in September, 2025. Around 1.81 crore women have so far received Rs 10,000 each, and those who have utilised the sum for setting up a business will soon get another Rs 2 lakh, the officials said. The chief minister had recently announced that the Bihar government initiated the process of providing additional financial assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh to select beneficiaries under the scheme.

Nitish Kumar vows to double Bihar income, create 1 crore jobs in 5 years

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday asserted that his government has set a target of doubling the state's per capita income in the next five years, besides generating "one crore jobs and employment opportunities". The longest-serving CM of the state made the statement inside the Assembly, while replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the governor's reply. "We have done a lot, but we wish to do more. We have set a target of doubling the per capita income of Bihar in the next five years. To achieve this target, we intend to boost industrial growth. Schemes like Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana would also do their bit in giving rise to entrepreneurship", said the 75-year-old leader. The scheme was rolled out ahead of the Assembly polls held in November, under which Rs 10,000 was given to more than one crore women. Kumar also reiterated the promise of "one crore jobs and employment opportunities (Rozgar) till 2030," which was made by the BJP-led coalition ahead of

Nitish Kumar launches 128 projects worth ₹1.52 billion in Bihar's Vaishali

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday launched 128 projects worth around Rs 152 crore in Vaishali district during his 'Samridhi Yatra'. The chief minister also reviewed ongoing development works in the district, including the desilting of the Baya River to improve drainage and reduce flood risks across eight blocks. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Kumar inaugurated 103 schemes worth Rs 98 crore, and laid foundation stones for 25 projects to the tune of Rs 54 crore, during a programme held at the Panapur Baba Bateshwar Nath Dham complex. During a review meeting, Kumar said the 'Saat Nischay-3' programmes are being implemented with the objective of placing Bihar among the most developed states in the country. He said work related to 430 approved schemes under the 'Pragati Yatra', and pending projects under 'Saat Nischay-2 are being completed at a rapid pace. The statement said 1,243 acres of land have been identified in the district for

Bihar CM asks to clear all pending land measurement applications by Jan 31

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday announced that all pending applications for land measurement will be cleared by January 31 through a special drive. He asserted that the decision is part of the seventh resolve 'Sabka Samman Jeevan Aasan' of the government's Saat Nischay-3 programme (2025-30), which focuses on reducing day-to-day hardships faced by citizens. In a post on X, Kumar said, "The reforms would prove highly beneficial for citizens and ease their daily lives by simplifying and making the land measurement process more transparent, time-bound and citizen-friendly." He introduced a set of time-bound measures to streamline the land measurement process in the state. From April 1, measurements of undisputed land will be completed within a maximum of seven working days from the date of deposit of measurement fees, while disputed land will be measured within a maximum of 11 working days, Kumar added. The CM said the government has also made it mandatory for the survey

Naqab row: SC Bar Association issues condemnation letter against Bihar CM

The Supreme Court Bar Association on Saturday issued a letter expressing its "strongest condemnation" of the recent incident where Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulled down the naqab of a woman doctor during a public ceremony in Patna. The letter said it was shocking that a person holding such a high office should attempt to demean the dignity and autonomy of the woman by trying to pull down her headscarf. The incident, a video clip of which has been circulated widely and sparked a major political row, took place on December 15 at the chief minister's secretariat in Patna when Ayush doctors had gathered to receive their letters of appointment. When the woman came up for her letter, Kumar saw her naqab, said "what is this?", and then removed the veil. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) letter said, "Besides infringing on her autonomy, agency and religious freedom, it is a reflection of the depraving attitude against women in general." It also condemned "the vile comments m

Bihar Cabinet approves Saat Nishchay-3 programme to boost development

The Nitish Kumar government on Tuesday approved the 'Saat Nishchay-3' programme to bring Bihar into the category of most developed states. The decision was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The CM posted on X, "In order to bring Bihar into the league of developed states, we have decided to implement Saat Nishchay-3 programme for the coming five years 2025-2030." He said that Saat Nischay-3 includes double employment, double income; prosperous industries, empowered Bihar; prosperity of the state through progress in agriculture; bright future through quality education; accessible healthcare, secure life; strong foundation for modern expansion; and ease of living through dignity of all. The CM said that Saat Nishchay-1 (2015-20) and Saat Nishchay-2 (2020-25) were based on the concept of "development with justice" and the third edition is the continuation of the same. "In order to ensure better medical facilities in remote rural areas, a policy will

Nitish allocates portfolios of new Bihar departments, keeps civil aviation

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has allocated portfolios of newly created departments among ministers, keeping Civil Aviation with himself, an official notification said. The Bihar cabinet on December 9 approved proposals to create three new departments -- Youth, Employment and Skill Development Department, Higher Education Department and the Civil Aviation Department -- and changed the names of three other departments. The Animal and Fisheries Resource Department was renamed as Dairy, Fisheries and Animal Resources Department; the Labour Resources Department as Labour Resources and Migrant Workers Welfare Department, and Art, Culture and Youth Department as Art and Culture Department. According to the notification, issued on December 12, the CM allocated the portfolio of Youth, Employment and Skill Development Department to Sanjay Singh 'Tiger', who is holding the portfolio of Labour Resources and Migrant Workers Welfare Department. State Education Minister Sunil Kumar has been