Samrat Choudhary to be Bihar's next Chief Minister after Nitish Kumar resigns

Samrat Choudhary is set to become Bihar’s next Chief Minister after Nitish Kumar resigned on Tuesday, and was elected leader of the BJP Legislative Party.

The announcement was made following a meeting of NDA legislators in Patna, where senior leaders of the BJP and its alliance partners unanimously backed the decision.

Also Read: Meet Samrat Choudhary, Bihar's new 'king' who started his political career under Rabri Devi


The appointment signals a new phase in politics, with Bihar getting its first BJP Chief Minister.

Choudhary, who is currently serving as Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister, will take oath as Chief Minister on April 15 in Patna, in the presence of senior BJP leaders, NDA chief ministers from other states, and top central leadership.

"This is not merely a position for me, but a sacred opportunity to serve the people of Bihar, to fulfill their trust and dreams. I pledge to live up to the expectations of one and all with complete dedication, commitment, and integrity," he posted on X after his appoinment as the leader.

Nitish Kumar’s resignation

Nitish Kumar formally stepped down as Chief Minister, bringing an end to a long tenure that shaped the state’s governance landscape for nearly two decades. Nitish Kumar took oath as a Rajya Sabha MP on April 10.

Following his resignation, the outgoing cabinet recommended the dissolution of the government, which was accepted, paving the way for the formation of a new NDA-led administration.

The outgoing Chief Minister submitted his resignation to Governor Syed Ata Hasnain earlier in the day, completing the constitutional formalities for the transition of power.

Also Read: End of Nitish Raj, for now: Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister resigns

NDA Legislature party meeting decision

In the legislature party meeting held in Patna, Choudhary was unanimously elected as the leader of the NDA coalition in the Bihar Assembly.

The decision came after consultations with BJP central observer Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was deputed to oversee the leadership selection process.

"...This is an emotional moment. These are historic moments. Workers who have helped build the organisation of the BJP since the Jana Sangh days are seeing their dreams being realised today. Their resolve completes today...I congratulate Samrat Choudhary..." Chouhan told reporters.

The BJP is the single largest party in the 243-member Assembly, with 89 MLAs.

The 202-member NDA also includes 85 MLAs of the JD(U), besides 19 of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and five of the Hindustani Awam Morcha, headed by Union ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi, respectively. In addition, there are five MLAs of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, led by Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha.