3 min readPatnaApr 13, 2026 06:04 AM IST
First published on: Apr 13, 2026 at 06:04 AM IST
With Nitish Kumar having taken oath as a Rajya Sabha MP, there is still no clarity on whether the BJP’s Samrat Choudhary, currently a Deputy Chief Minister, will succeed him. Sources said there is no consensus yet within the BJP and RSS on the matter.
On Sunday, the BJP appointed Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the central observer to elect a new leader of the BJP Legislature Party — a post currently held by Samrat Choudhary. Nitish Kumar is likely to resign as Bihar Chief Minister on April 14, and Chouhan could visit Bihar on the same day, according to sources.
Samrat Choudhary remains the leading contender to take over as CM, with the JD(U) and other partners of the NDA government in Bihar putting their weight behind the OBC Kushwaha leader.
However, a BJP source said, “As the party is going to have its CM for the first time in Bihar, a large section of BJP and RSS want a person who comes completely from an ABVP and Sangh background. Samrat Choudhary started his politics with the Samata Party and joined the BJP eight years ago after being in the RJD for a long time.”
Over the last week, the names of Union minister Nityanand Rai and Bihar ministers Lakhindra Paswan and Shreyasi Singh have also emerged as potential contenders for the CM post. “Before the party takes a final call, the party is weighing several options from OBC, EBC, Dalit and even upper caste constituencies,” said another source.
The source added that it would eventually be the “NDA’s decision, not one of the BJP alone”.
Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) has shown its preference for Samrat Choudhary to be the CM in order for the current social combination in the government to continue. If Choudhary, a Kushwaha, becomes CM and Nitish’s son Nishant Kumar, from the Kurmi community, becomes Deputy CM, the existing Luv-Kush combination will remain intact. A JD(U) leader said, “Samrat Choudhary has shown maturity as an administrator in the last two years or so. He has won the confidence of CM Nitish Kumar.”
NDA ally Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)’s patron and Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi told reporters on Saturday, “As far as I have gathered, Samrat is likely CM candidate.”
Sources from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas), another NDA ally, said it has been backing Samrat. “But the question is how much the BJP takes us into confidence. Ever since Samrat came back from Delhi, he has not been meeting many people. This suggests some disquiet in the BJP,” an LJP (RV) source said.
