An era in Bihar politics is ending on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Bihar’s longest-serving Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to tender his resignation shortly after the last meeting of his cabinet, which is scheduled at 11 am. Following his resignation, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is set to take oath as the new Chief Minister tomorrow, April 15.

The transition marks a historic moment — the BJP has never held the CM’s chair in Bihar despite being a dominant partner for years. The next Bihar CM represents a historic milestone for the saffron party.

How the day will unfold

Today, Nitish Kumar will carry out his final official duties. He will pay tribute at the statue of Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar at 10:30 am, attend his last Cabinet meeting at 11:00 am, and meet Governor Syed Ata Hasnain at Raj Bhavan at 3:00 pm to submit his resignation. After Kumar’s resignation, the BJP Legislature Party will meet to elect its leader in the presence of observer Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Why Nitish is stepping down

In March 2026, Kumar announced his pending resignation as Chief Minister and intention to contest the 2026 Rajya Sabha elections, which he won. On April 10, 2026, he was sworn in as the Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha. Under constitutional rules, a person cannot simultaneously hold membership of both Parliament and a state legislature, making his resignation as Chief Minister a constitutional requirement.

The numbers behind the power shift

The BJP’s claim to the Chief Minister’s post is underpinned by electoral arithmetic from the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The BJP is the single largest party in the 243-strong assembly with 89 MLAs. The legislature party meeting is scheduled to be held at the BJP office around 3 pm. The JDU has 85 seats, while the NDA alliance as a whole swept 202 seats, comprehensively marginalising the RJD-led opposition.

Who is Samrat Choudhary?

Samrat Choudhary, currently Deputy Chief Minister and holding the Home portfolio, is seen as a key OBC leader for the BJP in Bihar, where the party is seeking to expand beyond its traditional upper-caste base. His rise within the party has been rapid since he joined the BJP nearly seven years ago. He was elected leader of the BJP legislature party earlier this year and became Deputy Chief Minister in the NDA government led by Kumar. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier indicated he would be made a big man.

Belonging to the Koeri community, Choudhary has been a prominent figure in state politics for over two decades. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, is also a noted politician who played an active role in Bihar’s socialist movement. Backed by both Nitish Kumar and key leaders of the BJP, Choudhary is seen as a strong contender.

The Koeri community angle is particularly significant in Bihar’s caste arithmetic. The community is a numerically important OBC group across several districts, and Choudhary’s elevation would signal BJP’s intent to consolidate non-Yadav OBC votes — a constituency that has been central to the party’s electoral strategy in Bihar for a decade.

Known as a vocal critic of Nitish Kumar during the period when JDU broke ties with the BJP, Choudhary had adopted a symbolic stance of wearing a turban and vowing to remove it only after his party returns to power. His return to the NDA fold and subsequent rise to Deputy CM and now potential Chief Minister represents one of the more complete political journeys in recent Bihar politics.

Is a surprise possible?

BJP insiders admit that the possibility of a surprise, at the instance of the party’s central leadership, as was recently seen in Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, could not be ruled out. Nityanand Rai, a Union Minister and senior BJP leader from Bihar, has also been mentioned among potential contenders, as have Dilip Jaiswal and Prem Kumar.

The JDU’s positioning

Senior BJP leader and Bihar minister Dilip Jaiswal noted that the party hoped Nitish Kumar’s only son Nishant, who joined the JDU only a month ago, would be considered for an important role in the new government. JDU leaders hope that despite stepping down as Chief Minister, Kumar will continue to pull some strings. JDU leader Zama Khan said the new government will be formed with his consent and will work under his guidance.

Business Upturn will update this article as the BJP legislature party meeting concludes and the formal announcement of Bihar’s new Chief Minister is made.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Political developments are subject to rapid change. Business Upturn is not responsible for any decisions made based on this article.

Add us as preferred source on Google