Amid Bihar political churn, Rabri Devi says Nitish Kumar should stay in the state

Political tensions in Bihar intensified on Saturday after senior leaders of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) questioned reports suggesting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may seek election to the Rajya Sabha.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi arrived in Patna from New Delhi earlier in the day. While Lalu Prasad did not respond to questions from journalists at the airport, Rabri Devi spoke to reporters and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was attempting to sideline Kumar.

She claimed that the BJP was planning to send Kumar to the Rajya Sabha in order to remove him from the Chief Minister’s post and pave the way for the party to assume leadership of the state government.

“Nitish Kumar should remain the Chief Minister of Bihar,” Rabri Devi said, adding that any move to shift him to the Upper House would undermine the current political arrangement.

Speculation over Kumar’s future gained momentum after reports that he could file his nomination for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The possibility has fuelled debate within political circles about whether he might step down as Chief Minister and who could succeed him.

Opposition leaders argue that such a move could be part of a broader political strategy by the BJP to reshape the leadership structure in Bihar.

Senior leader of the Indian National Congress, Ajit Sharma, also criticised the development. Speaking to reporters in Bhagalpur, Sharma said that during the 2025 Assembly elections voters were promised a government led by Nitish Kumar for the full term from 2025 to 2030.

According to Sharma, stepping away from the post midway would amount to disregarding the public mandate.

He further alleged that the BJP had a pattern of weakening its allies and suggested that Kumar’s reported move to the Rajya Sabha might not be entirely voluntary. Sharma urged the Bihar Chief Minister to remain active in state politics and instead consider aligning with the opposition-led Mahagathbandhan.

The Congress leader also appealed to legislators of the Janata Dal (United) to join the opposition alliance, warning that the BJP could otherwise erode their political influence in the state.

The developments have added to the uncertainty surrounding Bihar’s political landscape as parties position themselves ahead of potential shifts in the state’s leadership.

With IANS inputs