MoS Jitan Ram Manjhi, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and State Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary during ‘Samridhi Yatra’ in Aurangabad on Friday, March 20, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI
Bihar Rural Development Minister Sharwan Kumar on Friday (March 20, 2026) said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may remain in office for the next six months despite being elected to the Rajya Sabha in the recently held elections. His comments came during a debate on Mr Nitish Kumar’s successor as Chief Minister.
He also said that Mr. Nitish Kumar will resign as a member of the Bihar Legislative Council within 14 days.
“A person must resign as a member of either house of the state legislature (after being elected as an MP) within 14 days. He can resign within a specified time frame, but he can remain the Chief Minister of Bihar for the next six months in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.”
The Prohibition of Concurrent Membership Rules, 1950, framed under Article 101 of the Constitution of India, prohibits concurrent membership in both Parliament and State Legislatures. Individuals must relinquish their legislative seat within 14 days of being elected to Parliament or their seat in Parliament becomes vacant. However, Article 164(4) of the Constitution allows a person to be appointed as Chief Minister or Minister for a period of up to six months without being a member of the State Legislature.
Asked if Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is the frontrunner for the post of Chief Minister, Mr. Sharwan Kumar said, “I have heard his name as you have. I must tell you that big leaders will take the decision.”
He added: “There is less truth in what you see in the media. The decisions made by the great leaders, once they sit down together, will eventually turn out to be true.”
During the ongoing Samriddhi Yatra, Mr. Nitish Kumar hinted that Mr. Choudhary would be his successor.
Asked specifically when the name of the next Chief Minister will be announced, Mr. Sharwan Kumar, also a close confidante of Mr. Nitish Kumar hailing from the same caste (Kurmi) and district (Nalanda), said, “It may be possible this month or next month. Nitishji has been elected to the Rajya Sabha and the term of the current member will end on April 9. Once he is sworn in, only then will the government be decided.”
On March 19, during an iftar party of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), its founder and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi also blasted Mr. Choudhary as Chief Minister when asked by journalists.
“Nitish Kumar is a transparent person and does what he thinks. If he is giving such hints about a leader, it should be clear that he will not back down. I also think Samrat Choudhary could be Nitish Kumar’s choice for the post of chief minister,” Mr Manjhi said.
Meanwhile, the fourth phase of Samriddhi Yatra, an awareness program launched by Mr. Nitish Kumar to review the schemes and interact with people, ended on March 20 after covering eight districts. The fifth phase of the yatra would begin from March 23.
The Chief Minister will start the fifth phase from Jehanabad and cover Arwal, Kaimur, Rohtas, Buxar, Bhojpur and his hometown Nalanda before ending in Patna on March 26.
He concluded his yatra by visiting the districts of Gaya and Aurangabad where he reviewed the ongoing development projects.
Published – 20 March 2026 21:34 IST
