Bihar witnessed a watershed political transition on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) chaired his final cabinet meeting at 11:00 AM and submitted his resignation to Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) at Lok Bhawan, Patna at 3:22 PM. Kumar's resignation was constitutionally necessitated after he was sworn in as a Member of the Rajya Sabha on 10 April 2026, since Article 101 of the Constitution prohibits simultaneous membership of Parliament and a State Legislature. Following the resignation, the Bharatiya Janata Party legislative party met at 3:00 PM in Patna and unanimously elected senior MLA and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary as its leader. At a 4:00 PM meeting of the broader NDA legislative party, he was endorsed unanimously by allies including the JD(U), HAM-S and LJP-RV. Choudhary called on the Governor at 7:11 PM to stake claim to form the government. He is scheduled to take oath as Bihar's 24th Chief Minister at Lok Bhawan on 15 April 2026. The change marks the first BJP-led government in Bihar's history, despite the party having been part of NDA-led coalitions in the state since 2005, with brief interregnums in 2013-2017 and 2022-2024. The BJP is the single largest party in the 243-strong Bihar Vidhan Sabha with 89 MLAs. Kumar, who had served as CM for nearly two decades across multiple stints, will continue in the Rajya Sabha and pledged full support to the new Choudhary-led government.
Nitish Kumar Resigns as Bihar CM After Two-Decade Innings; Samrat Choudhary Unanimously Elected NDA Legislative Leader, Set to Become State's First BJP Chief Minister
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar resigned on 14 April 2026 to remain only as a Rajya Sabha MP after his swearing-in as RS member on 10 April; Article 101 forbids dual membership. Samrat Choudhary was unanimously elected NDA legislative party leader, set to become the state's first BJP CM on 15 April. BJP is the largest party with 89 of 243 seats.
Key facts
- Nitish Kumar chaired his final Bihar cabinet meeting at 11:00 AM on 14 April 2026 and resigned to Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain at Lok Bhawan, Patna at 3:22 PM.
- The resignation was triggered by Article 101 of the Constitution, which bars a person from simultaneously holding membership of Parliament and a State Legislature; Kumar took oath as a Rajya Sabha MP on 10 April 2026.
- At a 3:00 PM BJP legislative party meeting on the same day, Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary was unanimously elected as legislative party leader, followed by formal NDA endorsement at 4:00 PM.
- Choudhary staked claim to form government before the Governor at 7:11 PM and is scheduled to take oath as Bihar's 24th Chief Minister on 15 April 2026 at Lok Bhawan.
- This will be the first time the BJP holds the chief ministership of Bihar, despite being a part of NDA coalitions in the state since 2005.
- BJP is the single largest party in the 243-member Bihar Vidhan Sabha with 89 MLAs; the NDA bloc retains a comfortable majority with JD(U), HAM-Secular and LJP-Ram Vilas allies.
- Kumar pledged full support to the new government from the Rajya Sabha, ending nearly two decades of personal tenure as Bihar CM across multiple stints since 2005.
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Practice MCQ from this story
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Consider the following statements regarding the Bihar political transition of 14 April 2026: 1. Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister of Bihar because Article 101 of the Constitution barred him from holding membership of both Parliament and a State Legislature simultaneously. 2. Samrat Choudhary was unanimously elected leader of the NDA legislative party in Bihar on the same day and is set to become the first BJP Chief Minister of the state. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Both statements are correct. Article 101 of the Constitution prohibits dual membership of Parliament and a State Legislature; Kumar took oath as a Rajya Sabha MP on 10 April 2026 and therefore had to vacate his Bihar Legislative Council seat and the chief ministership. Samrat Choudhary was unanimously elected by the BJP and the wider NDA legislative party on 14 April and is scheduled to take oath on 15 April 2026 as Bihar's first BJP Chief Minister.
Source: The Week
Frequently asked questions
Why was Nitish Kumar constitutionally required to resign as Bihar CM on 14 April 2026?
Article 101 of the Constitution prohibits a person from holding membership of both Parliament and a State Legislature simultaneously. After being sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP on 10 April 2026, Kumar had to vacate either his Bihar Legislative Council seat or his RS seat within the prescribed period; he chose to relinquish the state legislature membership and consequently the chief ministership.
Who is Samrat Choudhary and why is his elevation historic?
Samrat Choudhary is a senior BJP MLA who served as Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar. On 14 April 2026 he was unanimously elected leader of the BJP and NDA legislative parties and is set to take oath on 15 April as Bihar's 24th Chief Minister. His elevation is historic because it is the first time the BJP holds the CM seat in Bihar, even though the party has been a coalition partner in the state since 2005.
What is the current strength of parties in the Bihar Vidhan Sabha?
The Bihar Vidhan Sabha has 243 elected seats. The BJP is the single largest party with 89 MLAs and forms the core of the NDA bloc, which also includes the JD(U), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). Together the NDA retains a comfortable majority following the change of leadership.
Will Nitish Kumar continue in active politics after his resignation?
Yes. Kumar resigned only from the Bihar chief ministership; he continues as a Member of the Rajya Sabha after being sworn in on 10 April 2026. He has pledged full support to the incoming Samrat Choudhary government and is expected to play a senior advisory role within the JD(U) and the NDA at the national level.
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