If the change of guard in Bihar, marking the start of the end of Nitish Kumar’s 21-year run as Chief Minister, came as a surprise, it was. Sources in the BJP and JD(U) camps say that it was only in the last week that the wheels were set in motion.The conversation between the allies initially started a month ago as a discussion on the future of Nitish’s son Nishant. A political novice, Nishant has developed a public profile recently, with many in the JD(U) seeing in him the glue to keep the party together as Nitish’s deteriorating health slides further.AdvertisementAccording to sources in the BJP, a Rajya Sabha berth was seen as the best option to accommodate Nishant, giving him enough time and opportunity to learn the ropes of politics. However, as the discussions were taking place, a view gained ground that the situation provided the perfect opening to nudge Nitish to step aside as CM.Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who played a significant role in the NDA’s landslide victory in the Bihar Assembly elections and remains the BJP’s top strategist, noted that Nitish’s health was a genuine concern, and that a Rajya Sabha seat provided the most honourable exit to Bihar’s tallest political leader.Read | It’s official, Nitish Kumar to move to Rajya Sabha: ‘New Bihar govt will receive my guidance’Another consideration, sources in the BJP said, was that not much time had passed since the Assembly poll results, and the JD(U) still felt obliged to its ally over the CM post – the BJP won 89 seats in the October 2025 polls, against the JD(U)’s 85. As the election memory waned, the JD(U) would only regain its confidence and standing in the state, BJP leaders felt.AdvertisementAccording to sources, ahead of broaching the issue with Nitish, Shah held multiple rounds of discussions with three senior leaders of the JD(U) – Union minister Rajiv Ranjan ‘Lalan’ Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay K Jha and Bihar minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.Nishant, the BJP leadership suggested, could be accommodated in state politics.Sources said Chaudhary, who is considered close to Nitish and has been a constant by his side in recent years, led the other two JD(U) leaders in opening talks with Nitish. BJP sources in Patna said the three have held regular meetings with Nitish since the last week of February.पिछले दो दशक से भी अधिक समय से आपने अपना विश्वास एवं समर्थन मेरे साथ लगातार बनाए रखा है, तथा उसी के बल पर हमने बिहार की और आप सब लोगों की पूरी निष्ठा से सेवा की है। आपके विश्वास और समर्थन की ही ताकत थी कि बिहार आज विकास और सम्मान का नया आयाम प्रस्तुत कर रहा है। इसके लिए पूर्व में…— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) March 5, 2026Soon after, the candidature of JD(U) national general secretary Manish Verma was scrapped, with Nishant being suggested as a Rajya Sabha candidate. Before this, Nishant was supposed to make a quieter entry, into state politics. A source in the CM House said: “The name of Nishant was propped up to stop Verma, who had access to Nitish.”The source added: “Then, when Nishant’s name was being discussed, the BJP top leadership reminded Nitish of his wish of going to the Rajya Sabha, pointing out that the next vacancies in the state, after the coming ones in April, would arise only after two years. By March 1, whispers had started of the CM going to the Rajya Sabha instead.”The source added that what might have also prompted Nitish to go along is Nishant expressing his desire to start his political innings from Bihar, not Delhi. “However, he didn’t want his father to move on to the Rajya Sabha either. From March 1 until 4, several rounds of talks were held on the matter, eventually convincing Nitish to agree.”you may likeNitish’s extended family reportedly got wind of the matter only on March 3, by when it was too late. On March 4, in another last-ditch effort, seniormost JD(U) minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav met Nitish, requesting him to reconsider his decision in the larger interest of the party. By then, Nitish had already signed the nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha.To be sure, Nitish was not expected to stay as CM for the full five years. A senior BJP leader from Bihar said that while the NDA won the Assembly elections projecting him as the face, the understanding was for an ailing Nitish to step down by September, ahead of the first anniversary of the new NDA government.But, the leader said, waiting till then would have been “risky”. “It would have given the JD(U) time to get stronger, regain grip on the ground. By then, the JD(U) would have more ministers too.” Currently, the JD(U) has eight ministers in the state Cabinet and can name eight more, as per the formula agreed between the allies. The BJP has 14 ministers and can get two more.