New Delhi/Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP leader Nitin Nabin resigned from the state Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly, respectively, on Monday, weeks after the two leaders were elected to the Senate earlier this month.
The double resignation came on the last day of the two-week period allowed by law. Under the Concurrent Membership Prohibition Rules 1950 (under Sections 101/190 of the Constitution), an elected member of both Parliament and a State Legislative Council must resign from one of them within 14 days.
MLC’s Sanjay Gandhi, accompanied by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, carried Kumar’s message to Legislative Council Speaker Avadesh Narayan Singh.
Kumar certainly did not resign from his position as Prime Minister. The 75-year-old president can remain prime minister for another six months. He is scheduled to take his Rajya Sabha seat tentatively on April 10. Among the front runners to replace him in Bihar are Samrat Chaudhary and Nityanand Rai.
Singh, who also paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister in the morning, said he accepted Kumar’s resignation. “He was an invaluable leader in the House and dedicated himself to the cause of Bihar,” he added.
Nabin announced his resignation on social media, addressing his constituents from Bankipur, Bihar, and reflecting on his political journey. The BJP president was elected to the Assembly in a bypoll necessitated by the death of his father Nawin Kishore Prasad Sinha.
“After the sudden death of my father in January 2006, the party gave me the opportunity to contest the by-election from Patna West, and on April 27, 2006, I was elected for the first time from Patna West constituency, marking the beginning of my social and political life,” he said in X’s post.
Speaking about his experience and journey as a politician, Nabin said that he has made continuous efforts over the past 20 years to nurture, beautify and enhance the constituency built by his late father Nawin Kishore Prasad Sinha.
“I have always worked dedicatedly for the development of my region and Bihar. As a result, people here blessed me by electing me as their representative in the Assembly for five consecutive terms. Both inside and outside the Assembly, I used both platforms to raise the voice of my region and the people of Bihar and find ways to solve their problems,” he said.
Nabin also served as a minister in the state government. “I have always said that people not only shared their problems with me but also showed me the way to solve those problems. The workers held my hand like a brother, a family member and a guardian, bringing me to this position today. I assure the people of Patna and Bihar that I will always respect the familial affection extended to me,” he wrote.
In his message to his constituency, Nabin said he would use his new role to remain committed to the development of the region and Bihar. “The unbreakable bond I share with my workers and the people of Bihar will last forever and will always provide me with new energy, inspiration and guidance,” he wrote.
Both the leaders were elected to the Rajya Sabha on March 16, and the deadline for their resignation from the state legislature was March 30.
“The BJP president had pre-scheduled engagements in Delhi and Assam, besides some other work, on Sunday. Before leaving Patna, he handed over his resignation to me, which I will hand over to the Speaker today,” Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi said.
Chaudhary said resigning from one chamber within 14 days of the election of another chamber was a constitutional requirement, and that Kumar was always known to uphold constitutional values.
Responding to a question about Kumar’s resignation from the post of Prime Minister, Chaudhary said that it would be done at the appropriate time and in accordance with the constitutional provisions. Many leaders expressed concern over Kumar’s exit from the state legislature. “People in Bihar are not happy with Nitish ji’s resignation. He was a progressive Prime Minister who took everyone with him. The pain of his resignation will always remain,” Singh said.
“This is truly a deeply emotional moment; we have worked together for a very long time. Although this parting naturally raises a sense of unease and anxiety, I remain very confident that his focus will always remain squarely on the well-being of Bihar. Our bond is long-standing, has existed in the past, continues in the present, and will undoubtedly continue in the future,” said Bihar Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar, a senior BJP leader.
Bihar Minister and Janata Dal (United) National General Secretary Ashok Chaudhary became emotional. “Following Nitish Kumar’s footsteps, working like him, respecting your strongest rivals is a big deal. I don’t think the new generation has people with such a political mindset. No one can be Nitish Kumar,” Chaudhary said.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal claimed that Kumar was forced to resign. Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “The BJP has not only cheated him but has cheated the entire voters of Bihar.” “We have been saying from the beginning that Nitish Kumar will not continue as chief minister of Bihar after the elections… The BJP has cheated Nitish Kumar and the people of Bihar. There is a huge difference between the BJP’s words and its actions.”
