Speculation, Meetings And A Midnight Call: How Bihar Politics Changed On Holi | 10 Points

Last Updated:March 05, 2026, 14:38 IST

With Thursday being the final day for filing nominations, political observers believe the state could be on the brink of a significant shift in power

Speculation surrounding Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stepping down from his post and moving to the Rajya Sabha has triggered intense political activity from Patna to Delhi. What began as discussions in political circles on the occassion of Holi appeared to move towards a concrete decision after a high-level meeting at Nitish Kumar’s residence late Wednesday night. Sources indicate that a crucial decision regarding the Bihar CM‘s political future and the leadership of the state was finalised during the late-night deliberations, with an official announcement expected today.

The developments have stirred both the ruling NDA and the opposition camps. Amid growing talk of Nitish Kumar‘s son Nishant Kumar possibly entering politics and murmurs of the ‘Operation Lotus’, the Grand Alliance has termed the developments an insult to the public mandate. With Thursday being the final day for filing nominations, political observers believe the state could be on the brink of a significant shift in power.

Here what unfolded in Bihar on Wednesday, March 4

1. Political circles were abuzz from Wednesday morning with reports suggesting that Nitish Kumar could be fielded as the Janata Dal (United)’s second candidate for the Rajya Sabha.

2. At around 6 pm, Nitish Kumar convened an emergency meeting at his residence with senior party leaders including Sanjay Jha and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.

3. During the discussions, Vijay Chaudhary said that the final call would rest with Nitish Kumar, though sections within the party were reportedly reluctant about his shift to Delhi.

4. The name of Union minister Ramnath Thakur was almost finalised for the Rajya Sabha seat, and he has reportedly completed the necessary paperwork.

5. Two possibilities were being discussed regarding Nishant Kumar’s political future, either he could be made Deputy Chief Minister or be sent to the Rajya Sabha.

6. During the meeting, Nitish Kumar approved the continuation of Umesh Kushwaha as the state president of JD(U).

7. Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan dismissed speculation about a leadership change, asserting that the government would continue under Nitish Kumar’s leadership.

8. Rajesh Ranjan (Pappu Yadav) accused the BJP of attempting to hijack the mandate and alleged a conspiracy to seize power in the state.

9. Shakti Singh Yadav took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to claim that the BJP had carried out a “silent Operation Lotus" to pressure Nitish Kumar into yielding ground.

10. According to sources, a late-night round of closed-door consultations resulted in a broad consensus on Nitish Kumar’s possible move to the Rajya Sabha and a new leadership formula for Bihar.

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