Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. File Photo
By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday resigned from the membership of the Bihar Legislative Council to complete the formalities for assuming his seat in the Rajya Sabha. Kumar had been elected to the Upper House on March 16 and is expected to take oath as a Rajya Sabha member on April 10.
Reacting to the development, Bihar Legislative Council Chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh said, “I paid a courtesy visit to the Chief Minister this morning. He has submitted his resignation, and the process is underway. The seat will be declared vacant. Bihar is saddened by his departure, but today the state is counted among the developed ones. The resignation has been accepted.”
JD(U) MLC Sanjay Gandhi remarked that it was not an emotional moment, adding that the Chief Minister appeared composed and has always adhered to rules. “We have been MLCs together for nearly 20 years,” he said.
State Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary confirmed that Kumar, now an elected Rajya Sabha member, had decided to step down from the Legislative Council. “His resignation has been sent to the Chairman’s office. Further action will follow once the Chairman reviews it,” he added.
As per constitutional provisions, a member elected to the Rajya Sabha must resign from the Legislative Council within 14 days, failing which the Rajya Sabha membership stands annulled. Adhering to this requirement, the Chief Minister tendered his resignation on 30 March, having received his election certificate on March 16.
Kumar first became a member of the Legislative Council in 2006 and was re-elected in 2012, 2018 and 2024, completing four consecutive terms. Each term spans six years, covering 2006–2012, 2012–2018, 2018–2024 and 2024 until his resignation, marking the end of a long association with the Council.
Since first assuming office as Chief Minister in November 2005, Kumar has consistently taken oath via the Legislative Council route and has never contested an Assembly election. After being elected as an MLA from Harnaut in 1985, he also served as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha and held ministerial positions at the Centre.
With his Rajya Sabha entry, Kumar will have been a member of all four legislative bodies — the State Assembly, Lok Sabha, Legislative Council and now the Rajya Sabha — an achievement considered unique in his political career.
Following his resignation from the Legislative Council, Kumar will also have to relinquish the post of Chief Minister. However, under constitutional provisions, he may continue in office for up to six months without being a member of either House, during which he must secure membership through election or other means.
Kumar’s political journey, which began in 1985, now enters a new phase with his move to the Rajya Sabha. Having long relied on the Legislative Council, he is set to mark his presence in the Upper House, with his oath on April 10 signalling the start of this new chapter.
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