Oppn surprised by Nitish's RS move; RJD calls it political abduction

Congress and RJD leaders express shock over Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's potential move to Rajya Sabha. Udit Raj says it will weaken the JD(U), while Mrityunjay Tiwari calls it a 'political abduction' by the BJP, exposing its attitude towards allies.

Opposition Reacts to Nitish Kumar's Move

Congress leader Udit Raj on Thursday said that he is surprised by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's move to Rajya Sabha, stating that the step would result in weakening Janata Dal (United). Highlighting unemployment and low standard of education in government institutions within Bihar, Raj said that if Nitish Kumar becomes an MP, it will be more "honourable" for him to take up "no roles". "I am surprised as to how Nitish Kumar agreed to it. This will result in weakening of the JD(U)... There are no jobs, and everything has been privatised. The standards of the government schools are at their lowest... If he is going to be an MP, it would be more honourable for him to take up no roles," Udit Raj said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Mrityunjay Tiwari said that the announcement came as a shock just months after the conclusion of the assembly elections and termed it a "huge political abduction". He further said that the announcement exposed the "attitude" of the BJP towards its allies. "A major upheaval in Bihar's politics has suddenly been visible since yesterday. No one could have anticipated that the BJP would remove Chief Minister Nitish Kumar so quickly after the elections, but our leader Tejashwi Yadav had been consistently saying that the BJP would destroy the JDU and oust Nitish Kumar from the Chief Minister's chair. A lot of people from JDU are working in collusion with the BJP, while many want Nitish Kumar to stay... This is a huge political abduction... The attitude of BJP with their allies is slowly becoming clear...", Tiwari told ANI.

JD(U) Responds

Meanwhile, Union Minister and JD(U) MP Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh said that no one can imagine Nitish Kumar's achievement in building Bihar, adding that he will only decided where he wishes to go. "Nitish Kumar will make this decision... He will go wherever he wants to go. It is his party... No one could have imagined what Nitish Kumar has accomplished in Bihar. Nitish Kumar has built Bihar," said Lalan Singh.

Nitish Kumar's Political Journey

This comes after Nitish Kumar won his fifth election in 2025 as the NDA secured two-third majority in the state and took oath for the 10th time. He is Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister.

Kumar has had a chequered political career. He entered politics as a member of the Janata Dal, becoming an MLA in 1985. Kumar and George Fernandes then formed the Samata Party in 1994. In 1996 he was elected to the Lok Sabha and served as a Union Minister in the Vajpayee government. In 2005, the NDA won a majority in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. In the 2010 state elections, the governing coalition won re-election in a landslide. In June 2013, Kumar broke with the BJP, forming a coalition with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress. In 2014, he was replaced by Jitan Ram Manjhi, but returned to the position in 2015 leading the Mahagathbandhan to victory later that year. In 2017, Kumar broke with the RJD and returned to the NDA, leading another coalition with the BJP; at the 2020 state elections. In August 2022, Kumar left the NDA, rejoining the Mahagathbandhan. In January 2024, Kumar left the Mahagathbandhan once again and rejoined the NDA Assembly, and Kumar became chief minister, heading a coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party. He then won the 2025 election by a landslide. (ANI)

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