Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister of Bihar on Thursday and filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha, confirming days of speculation about his move to national politics.

The senior leader of the Janata Dal (United) (JDU) submitted his nomination earlier in the day. Soon after, he announced the decision in a post on X, saying the move would fulfill a long-standing personal goal in his political career.

Nitish has earlier served as a member of the Lok Sabha, the Bihar Legislative Assembly, and the Bihar Legislative Council. If elected to the Rajya Sabha, he will have represented all four legislative chambers in India's parliamentary system.

In his post, Nitish thanked the people of Bihar and explained the reason behind the decision. He wrote, "For more than two decades, you have consistently placed your trust and support in me, and it is on the strength of that trust that we have served Bihar and all of you with complete dedication. It was the power of your trust and support that has enabled Bihar today to present a new dimension of development and dignity. For this, I have expressed my gratitude to you many times in the past as well."

"From the very beginning of my parliamentary journey, there has been a desire in my heart to become a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislature as well as both Houses of Parliament. In keeping with this aspiration, I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time."

"I want to assure you with complete honesty that my relationship with you will continue in the future as well, and my resolve to work together with you to build a developed Bihar will remain steadfast. The new government that will be formed will have my full cooperation and guidance," the post concluded.

Race begins for Bihar CM's post

With Nitish stepping down, attention has shifted to who will lead the next government in Bihar. The ruling alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and JDU holds a majority in the state assembly.

According to political discussions within the alliance, current Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary is among the frontrunners for the Chief Minister's post. Other names being discussed include Union minister Nityanand Rai and state minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal.

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Sources within the BJP suggest the party may consider projecting a leader from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) or Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) for the position.

Possible political debut for Nishant Kumar

Nitish Kumar's resignation has also renewed speculation about the political future of his son Nishant Kumar.

Political circles in Patna believe Nishant may soon enter active politics. Some discussions within the alliance suggest he could be considered for the post of Deputy Chief Minister in a new government formation.

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However, no official announcement has been made so far regarding the leadership structure.

Even after stepping down, Nitish indicated he would continue supporting the ruling alliance in Bihar and assist the next government in governance and policy matters.