Nishant Kumar to join JD(U) on March 8, as Nitish promises to stick around

A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha, he assured emotional leaders of his Janata Dal (United) party that he would not abandon them and would keep monitoring the State’s development.

During a crucial meeting at his official residence on Friday (March 6, 2026), JD(U) leaders also offered their “wholehearted” support to Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar, who plans to join the party on March 8 and then embark on a tour of the State.

“At the meeting of JD(U) MPs, Ministers and Legislature members held at the Chief Minister’s official residence, Mr. Kumar assured party leaders that they do not have to worry at all as he would be around with them [even after going to the RS]. He will keep monitoring development works of Bihar,” JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told journalists after emerging from the 45-minute meeting.

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‘Nishant will take the party ahead’

Asked about Nishant Kumar, Neeraj Kumar said: “Though he was not present in the meeting, his voice was there. He will take primary membership of the party on March 8, and thereafter tour across the State.”

Earlier, the Bihar’s Minority Welfare Minister and JD(U) leader Zama Khan had said that Nishant Kumar would join the party on March 5, but this did not happen. At the meeting on Friday (March 6, 2026), the proposal for Nishant Kumar to join the party came from JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha and was supported “wholeheartedly” by all party leaders, said Neeraj Kumar. “The whole party is behind Nishant Kumar… He will be in active politics,” he added.

“Nishant Kumar will take the party ahead,” added senior JD(U) leader Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, who is also the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Before the meeting, JD(U) Bihar president Umesh Kushwaha was re-elected to the post unopposed, for his third consecutive term. He is an MLA representing Mahnar in Vaishali district.

Earlier in the day, the State’s Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, both from the BJP, had a closed door meeting with the CM at his official residence. The details of their discussion is not known.

Rajya Sabha poll prospects

On March 5, Mr. Kumar and four other NDA candidates had filed nomination papers for the five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar becoming vacant on April 9. The only candidate from the Opposition, Amarendra Dhari Singh of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, also filed papers for his re-nomination. Later on Friday (March 6, 2026), he told journalists that he had got the support of the 41 MLAs required to win the election to the Upper House.

“One doesn’t come to contest the poll to be defeated. I have the support of 41 MLAs and will win the poll,” he said, when came to the State legislature on Friday (March 6, 2026) for scrutiny of his nomination papers. The election for the five Rajya Sabha seats is scheduled to take place on March 16. According to their nomination papers, Mr. Singh is the richest of the six candidates from Bihar, while Nitish Kumar is the poorest.

The BJP has also fielded its national president Nitin Nabin and former MLA Shivesh Kumar, while the JD(U) has fielded Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur, apart from the Bihar CM. Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha was the fifth NDA candidate. Both Mr. Thakur and Mr. Kushwaha are sitting MPs seeking re-nomination.

With 202 NDA MLAs in the 243-strong State Assembly, the ruling alliance will need the support of just three more MLAs to win the fifth seat. The Opposition, which holds 35 MLAs, will need the support of six legislators beyond their alliance to hold on to a single seat.