PANAJI: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigned from his membership of the Bihar Legislative Council on Monday, weeks after being elected to the Rajya Sabha. The resignation was submitted to Council Chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh at the Chief Minister’s official residence.
Kumar had been elected to the Upper House of Parliament on March 16. His resignation from the state legislature was required under the Prohibition of Simultaneous Membership Rules, 1950, which were framed under Articles 101 and 190 of the Constitution. These rules state that an individual elected to both Parliament and a state legislature cannot hold both positions for more than 14 days and must step down from one of them within that period.
In a separate development, Nitin Nabin, national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, also resigned as the MLA from the Bankipur constituency in Bihar as he prepares to take on his responsibilities as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
In a message addressed to his supporters and party workers, Nabin described the decision as a continuation of his public service rather than a conclusion of his political journey. Reflecting on his career, he recalled entering public life in 2006 following the passing of his father and spending nearly two decades working for the development of Bankipur and the state of Bihar.
He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the opportunity to serve as a minister in the state government. Nabin also reaffirmed his commitment to contributing to Bihar’s progress in his new role at the national level.
With Kumar preparing to assume his responsibilities in Parliament, political observers expect a shift in the state’s leadership dynamics. The next government in Bihar is widely expected to be led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which currently holds the largest number of seats in the state assembly.
