Nitish Kumar on Monday resigned from the Bihar Legislative Council, complying with the provisions of the Constitution after his recent election to the Rajya Sabha.
Kumar, who was elected to the Upper House of Parliament on March 16, was required to resign his membership of the state legislature within 14 days. March 30 was the final deadline.
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Constitutional rule triggers resignation
Under the Prohibition of Simultaneous Membership Rules, 1950 which is framed under Articles 101 and 190 of the Constitution, a person cannot hold membership in both Parliament and a state legislature at the same time.
Consequently, Kumar stepped down from his legislative role in the Bihar Legislative Council to maintain his place in the Rajya Sabha. This marks the end of Kumar’s tenure in the legislative body, in which he has remained a key political personality for years.
Political focus shifts to leadership issue
The resignation of Kumar has drawn attention to the leadership issue in Bihar, with political observers waiting to see what happens next in the ruling politics of the state. Despite the fact that there are no official communications on changes in leadership, the issue has sparked speculation on the politics of the state.
At the same time, Nitin Nabin, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, is also expected to step down from the Bihar Assembly in line with similar constitutional requirements.
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Party sources said Nabin had delayed submitting his resignation due to a meeting in Delhi, but the formalities were likely to be completed soon. The resignation is expected to be submitted through Bihar BJP president Sanjay Sarogi.
Although the resignations are procedural in nature, they are significant in the context that the political scenario in Bihar is currently on the radar of attention. Kumar’s resignation, though a legal requirement, could spark an interesting debate on the politics of the state.
