Now, the Bharatiya Janata Party – which played second fiddle to Nitish’s JD(U) for a long time – is set to bring Samrat Chaudhary to the center stage as its new CM.end of an eraAfter the total revolution movement during the Emergency, socialist ideology deeply penetrated the state. JP took many young leaders under his control, many of whom later became big leaders of Bihar.Additionally, this was also the era of Karpoori Thakur, during which a new grammar of power emerged, where caste was not hidden under euphemisms, but was talked about as a politics of representation.

The convergence of these ideologies led to the emergence of the state’s two tallest leaders – Lalu and Nitish – who cemented the vision of social justice on which Bihar’s identity politics rests.Lalu, a popular leader known for his sense of humor, ruled for more than 15 years. After his fall, Nitish, popularly known as Sushasan Babu, ruled for the next 21 years, which ended on Tuesday.Rise of BJP in BiharHowever, it seems that Nitish’s exit plan was made long ago. After the National Democratic Alliance’s landslide victory and the BJP’s exceptional performance in last year’s assembly elections, rumors started flying that Nitish might step down from the top post, opening the way for the BJP in a state that is under its control and yet out of reach.The rumors proved true when one fateful day, Nitish announced his decision to leave the top post in Bihar for a Rajya Sabha seat to fulfill his personal desire to serve in all four legislative bodies – Bihar Legislative Assembly, Bihar Legislative Council, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.Although many had anticipated the move amid speculations about his deteriorating health, Nitish’s sudden announcement still surprised many who were expecting a smooth transition plan.JD(U) without NitishNitish Kumar remained the only star of his party for decades. Despite not winning an absolute majority on his own, his “good governance babu” image kept JDU at the center of Bihar politics. Nitish’s decision not only ended the political lineage of JP Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur, but also threw his party into uncharted waters with no clear roadmap for the future.The party failed to form a strong second line of leadership. Leaders like Sanjay Jha, Lalan Singh and Vijay Chaudhary are present, but no one has a support base compared to Nitish.

Political analysts believe that there is also a possibility that JDU may merge with its ally BJP in the coming days, although such a move may not get unanimous support within the party.“There is also a possibility that BJP and JD(U) may merge in the future, although not everyone in JD(U) will accept such a merger. Many leaders may oppose this. Some leaders within the party may cross over to RJD, while others may join BJP,” political analyst Kumar Vijay told The Times of India.He said, “Earlier, JDU workers also voted for BJP candidates because they believed that Nitish Kumar would ultimately remain the chief minister. But now many staunch workers may refuse to support the BJP in future.”End of the road for JD(U)The situation changed between JD(U) and BJP in the last assembly elections, where BJP emerged as the “big brother”. In the 2025 elections, BJP became the largest party with 89 seats and 20.45% vote share, while JD(U) won 85 seats with 19.61%.After the landslide victory, the BJP started looking less like a coalition partner and more like a contender for the driver’s seat. It secured a major share in the Council of Ministers and Nitish Kumar also had to leave the Home Department.According to PTI, party sources admitted that there was a misunderstanding among workers over the role of Sanjay Jha and some other close aides of Nitish in the recent developments.He said, “Yesterday, when the Chief Minister visited the JD(U) office in Delhi, many party workers insisted that even after he steps down, the top post should not be given to the BJP. These views have been shown by all media outlets and, to an extent, reflect the sentiment prevailing in the party here.”“In Nishant (Nitish Kumar’s son, who recently joined the party), we have a young leader who is capable of replacing his father. However, we also know that our leader is unlikely to push for his son. But, at least, we should emphasize all the benefits that the BJP is currently enjoying, including posts like two deputy CMs, Assembly Speaker and the important home portfolio,” he said.“The BJP, on its part, is acting with swagger. Just look at the urgency with which it nominated Harivansh Narayan Singh to the Rajya Sabha, days after denying him a third consecutive term,” JD(U) sources said.

JDU workers have put up posters all over Patna urging Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant to take over the post of Chief Minister.The posters put up by “Nitish servants” called for Nishant Kumar to step into active politics, describing him as a “young leader” and urging him to “come out of the shadows”.The posters read, “We neither need bulldozers, nor riots or unrest in Bihar. We need a young public servant… now is the time for him to come out of the shadows.”What will happen to Nitish Kumar’s EBC vote bank?Over the years, Nitish has established himself as a prominent leader of the Extremely Backward Class (EBC), which forms a significant part of Bihar’s population.He deliberately built this support base by taking advantage of Karpoori Thakur’s legacy and focusing on economically weaker sections.His exit has raised the question as to who will be the successor of this vote bank. According to analyst Kumar Vijay, neither party looks well placed to consolidate non-Yadav OBC and EBC votes.Vijay said, “If Tejashwi Yadav had strong leadership capabilities, that vote bank could have shifted to RJD. But the biggest tragedy in Bihar today is the lack of strong political leadership. Congress does not have it, RJD also does not have it. Despite being a politically mature state, Bihar is facing a serious leadership crisis.”“Upendra Kushwaha has lost credibility. Tejashwi Yadav has not emerged as a grassroots leader.” LJP has also become a dramatic political organization.For Bihar, Nitish Kumar’s move to Rajya Sabha marks the end of a long political chapter defined by his leadership, changing alliances and ‘good governance’ governance model. The coming months will decide how JD(U) and state politics will evolve from them forward.