Patna: Political leaders across the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Thursday congratulated Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar after he announced his decision to contest the Rajya Sabha election, while opposition leaders questioned the circumstances surrounding the move.
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief and Union minister Chirag Paswan was among the first to extend his greetings. In a post on X, Chirag said he was confident Nitish’s experience would strengthen the functioning of the Upper House.
NDA गठबंधन द्वारा राज्यसभा के लिए नामित सभी उम्मीदवारों को हार्दिक बधाई।
मुझे विश्वास है कि आप सभी अपने अनुभव, समर्पण और जनसेवा के भाव से संसद के उच्च सदन में देश और समाज की आवाज़ को मजबूती से रखेंगे तथा विकास के मार्ग को और सशक्त करेंगे।
आप सभी को जीत की अग्रिम शुभकामनाएं। 💐
— युवा बिहारी चिराग पासवान (@iChiragPaswan) March 5, 2026
“Chief Minister, heartiest congratulations and best wishes to you on being nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the NDA alliance. We are confident that your experience, dedication, and spirit of public service will strengthen the interests of the country and society in the Upper House of Parliament,” Paswan wrote.
Bihar deputy chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Samrat Choudhary also congratulated Nitish, praising his leadership and contributions to the state’s governance.
आदरणीय मुख्यमंत्री श्री @NitishKumar जी को #राज्यसभा चुनाव -2026 हेतु जद (यू) से उम्मीदवार घोषित किए जाने पर अनंत बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं।
आपका दूरदर्शी नेतृत्व, सुशासन के प्रति अटूट प्रतिबद्धता और बिहार के समग्र विकास के लिए आपका सतत प्रयास हम सभी के लिए प्रेरणास्रोत है। विश्वास है… pic.twitter.com/VPsANV74Gq
— Samrat Choudhary (@samrat4bjp) March 5, 2026
“Infinite congratulations and best wishes to respected Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar on being declared the JD(U) candidate for the 2026 Rajya Sabha elections. Your visionary leadership, unwavering commitment to good governance, and continuous efforts for the overall development of Bihar are an inspiration to all of us,” Choudhary said in a message posted on social media. He added that Kumar’s experience would further strengthen the dignity of the Rajya Sabha.
Senior BJP leader and Bihar minister Dilip Jaiswal said Nitish had publicly expressed his desire to become a member of the Rajya Sabha. “Today the chief minister said that Rajya Sabha was the only house of which he had not become a member and it was his strong desire to become a member. He has also said that he will continue to help the Bihar government in fulfilling the vision of a developed Bihar,” Jaiswal said.
#WATCH | पटना: बिहार सरकार में मंत्री दिलीप जायसवाल ने बिहार के मुख्यमंत्री नीतीश कुमार के ट्वीट पर कहा, “आज मुख्यमंत्री ने ट्वीट करके बताया कि राज्यसभा एक सदन ऐसा था जिसके वे सदस्य नहीं बने थे तो उनकी प्रबल इच्छा थी कि वे राज्यसभा के सदस्य बने। उन्होंने कहा है कि विकसित बिहार के… pic.twitter.com/Kdg9sVFc7A
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) March 5, 2026
However, the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) questioned whether the decision reflected Kumar’s own political choice. RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha suggested the chief minister’s announcement might have been influenced by leaders outside Bihar.
“All things are in their place, but this is not Nitish Kumar’s language. We have been with him both in opposition and in support. This tweet appears to have been written in Delhi,” Jha said, adding that the development would have long-term political implications in the state.
Jha said the RJD would challenge the move politically, expressing doubts about whether such political arrangements would succeed in Bihar.
