1 hour ago
Last Updated:March 04, 2026, 17:26 IST
The buzz is that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may step down from the state’s top post after being elected to the Rajya Sabha
Nitish and Nishant Kumar. (PTI)
After years of staying away from public life, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s only son Nishant Kumar is officially set to enter active politics with his father’s party, the Janata Dal (United) (JD-U).
The decision will soon be announced formally by the JD(U), state minister Sharwan Kumar said on Tuesday.
Bihar’s political circles are abuzz with speculation that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may step down from the state’s top post after being elected to the Rajya Sabha. The JDU chief is set to file his nomination for the upper house of Parliament on Thursday and News18 Hindi sources confirmed that he will not continue as Bihar’s Chief Minister once elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
The development triggered a flurry of questions about who will succeed him and what role, if any, his son Nishant Kumar will play in the new political arrangement.
Who is Nishant Kumar?
Nishant Kumar is a software engineer, having graduated from the Birla Institute of Technology (BIT), Mesra.
Born on July 20, 1975, to Nitish Kumar and the late Manju Kumari Sinha, Nishant was previously known for his reclusive nature and interest in spiritualism.
According to recent filings, his net worth is approximately ₹3.61 crore, largely comprising assets inherited from his mother.
His political entry
“Now, it’s clear, and it has been finalised that Nishant Kumar will join active politics. The party will make a formal announcement in a day or two. Party workers have been demanding Nishant’s entry into politics for several years. Now party workers and supporters are upbeat with the decision ahead of Holi," Shrawan Kumar told PTI.
“He will be given a bigger responsibility in the party. What responsibility he is going to get will be decided in a day or two," said the minister.
Asked if Nishant can be sent to the Rajya Sabha, Kumar said, “Anything can happen." Kumar, who has been a minister in the state cabinet for more than a decade, is considered very close to the CM.
Nishant’s entry marks a shift for Nitish Kumar, who has historically opposed dynastic politics. The move follows the NDA’s landslide victory in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections and growing calls from JD(U) workers for a clear line of succession.
Social Welfare Minister Madan Sahni said JD(U) workers have been demanding Nishant Kumar’s entry into active politics for several years.
“Now, it has been finalised. We are quite happy with the decision," Sahni, also a JD(U) leader, told PTI.
Rural Works Minister Ashok Choudhary said, “It is a big Holi gift for the party’s rank and file and also the people of the state. Nishant’s entry into active politics will certainly benefit the party. He is a photocopy of our leader, Nitish Kumar." JD(U) ally BJP also welcomed Nishant’s entry into politics.
“I welcome the new generation to enter politics. I thank the CM for leading the NDA in the recent assembly elections. It is a matter of great happiness that Nishant Kumar will now enter politics with the support of the CM and his family, and we wholeheartedly welcome him," Industries Minister Dilip Jaiswal told PTI Video.
“He is certainly an educated young leader, holding a BTech degree, and is a well-grounded individual. Every event happens in its own time, and perhaps now the right time has arrived. His entry should be warmly welcomed," said the former state BJP president.
Bihar Rajya Sabha elections
Five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar will go to the polls on March 16. The last date for filing nominations is March 5.
The elections will be held as the tenures of JD(U)’s Harivansh Narayan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur, RJD’s Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh, and RLM’s Upendra Kushwaha are ending.
As per the latest tally in the state legislature, all five seats would now go to the ruling NDA. However, the RJD has decided to field its candidates to ensure the election is not decided unopposed.
With PTI Inputs
First Published:
March 04, 2026, 17:22 IST
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