- 12 hours ago
In a landmark shift in Bihar politics, Nitish Kumar has resigned as the Chief Minister, marking the end of a defining era. Samrat Chaudhary is set to take oath as the first-ever BJP Chief Minister of Bihar.
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00:00Hello everyone, this is a special edition of the news track where I'm coming to you live from outside Patna's
00:07Vidhan Sabha.
00:08Today has been end of one of the most defining chapters of Bihar politics.
00:14Nitish Kumar has resigned as the Bihar Chief Minister, Samrat Chaudhary, will take oath as the first BJP Chief Minister
00:23of Bihar tomorrow morning.
00:25Nitish Kumar's long inning in Bihar politics has shaped Bihar.
00:30He gave that sense of asmita or Bihari pride to each and every Bihari.
00:36Nitish Kumar, the man of few words, popularly known as Silent Bihari, came to reshape the state's politics.
00:46It's the beginning of a new chapter with the start of a Samrat Chaudhary era.
00:52What does it actually mean for Bihar politics and what does it mean for Nitish Kumar?
00:58Here's a quick recap of the man who Bihar loved and voted for overwhelmingly in 2025.
01:10Nothing is permanent in politics.
01:14Leaders will come.
01:16Leaders will go.
01:18But for many in Bihar, Nitish Kumar's exit feels deeply personal.
01:44His exit marks the end of an era.
01:48There was a time when people hesitated to call themselves a Bihari.
01:52But Nitish Kumar changed that.
01:55He changed that by bringing dignity, stability and a sense of pride.
02:00For over 50 years, he shaped Bihar's political story.
02:03From a young activist in the 1974 JP movement to becoming the chief minister in 2000.
02:12And then returning in 2005 to redefine governance in a state once synonymous with lawlessness.
02:19He may not have turned Bihar into a model state, but he gave it stability and a structure.
02:25He was rightly called Susashan Babu.
02:28His policy spoke louder than his politics.
02:31From empowering the EBCs to strengthening the legacy of Karpuri Thakur.
02:36To ensuring that caste did not completely fracture the state's social fabric.
02:41Nitish Kumar in an interview once said that if he had to draw a picture of his Bihar,
02:47it would be a girl cycling to school.
02:50While debates on women's reservation dragged on for decades, Nitish Kumar acted.
03:24How many women are here.
03:2950% reservation for women in panchayats, 35% in police and government jobs.
03:36He didn't just promise change, he made that change happen.
03:40A 10-time chief minister, a master of coalition politics.
03:45A quiet leader, deeply rooted in Bihar's socio-cultural identity.
03:50He has now stepped aside, taking on the role of a Mark Darshak.
04:00Meanwhile, a new chapter in Bihar begins.
04:03Bihar's Samrat now rises.
04:07BJP's first chief minister in Bihar.
04:11A leader with deep political lineage.
04:15A political journey that has seen him move from RGD to JDU to BJP.
04:21A man who has seen every shade of Bihar politics.
04:25But the challenge before him is immense.
04:28Because this is not just about governance, it is about legacy.
04:33Filling the shoes of Nitish Kumar.
04:36Perhaps the most defining political figure Bihar has seen in decades.
04:42NITISH Jii's
04:43NITISH Jii's
05:08NITISH Jii's
05:19For the BJP, this is historic.
05:22Since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, the party has dominated national politics.
05:28But Bihar so far remained an exception.
05:32So yes, leaders will come and go, but some leave behind more than just politics.
05:38And for Bihar, there will always be only one Nitish Babu.
05:43With Maria Shakil and Rohit Singh, Asthabhar Dwaaj, India Today.
05:50And let me go straight across to Sajjan Kumar and Amitabh Tiwari who are joining us now.
05:57Amitabh Tiwari, your thoughts, particularly on the challenges with the new Bihar Chief
06:05Minister designate at the moment is likely to face.
06:09Samrat Chaudhary.
06:12See, the challenges can be divided into political as well as governance related.
06:17Governance related, if we talk about governance related, he has very big shoes to fill.
06:22We have seen earlier very charismatic leaders as chief ministers like Lalu,
06:26for almost 15 years, less than 15 years actually.
06:30And then Nitish Kumar for 20 years.
06:33Bihar's politics has revolved around these two personalities.
06:35So, it will take some time for Samrat Chaudhary to create his own space.
06:43Correct?
06:44Then there will be challenges with respect to now the new alliance dynamics which has been created
06:52because of this power transfer.
06:54Now, BJP is clearly the elder brother and JDU is the junior brother.
06:59Now, we don't know who are the deputy chief ministers from JDU it and we'll have to see
07:05how Samrat Chaudhary is able to ensure better coordination and work upon the promises which
07:11was made in the manifesto of BJP and JDU.
07:15So, this alliance dynamics and this new dynamics also, you will need to battle it out.
07:21In terms of political, I think because he joined the BJP somewhere in 2017-18, if I am not wrong.
07:29And so, he faces a challenge of proving himself to be a real BJP insider insider.
07:38There could be some heartburn amongst the old BJP RSS stalwart leaders that he has been elevated
07:46as a chief minister.
07:47So, he also will have to work on that, placate the old BJP RSS's hands and ensure that they
07:54also have their voice heard in the governance of the NDA going forward.
08:02Yes.
08:04Okay.
08:05So, my sources are saying that the two leaders from the JDU quota who are likely to be shown
08:11in as the deputy chief ministers are, in fact, Bijinder Yadav and Vijay Chaudhary, both of
08:17them who have worked very closely with Nitesh Kumar.
08:20So, there will be three sweating-ins which will happen tomorrow, the chief minister and
08:26the two deputy chief ministers.
08:27Coming on this, Sarjan, of course, the dynamics within the BJP is something that Samrat Chaudhary
08:34will have to manage.
08:35But I think with Nitin Nabeen as the BJP president who comes from the state of Bihar, there is
08:42this messaging that there is the new leadership which is going to take charge.
08:46Of course, the messaging here is that he is an outsider to the BJP who has now risen in
08:52the ranks and is now the chief minister.
08:55Do you think with this appointment or election, selection, whatever you may call it, the BJP is
09:02also sending a message that in a state like Bihar, they cannot really come up with a surprise
09:09like they did in Madhya Pradesh or in Rajasthan.
09:14In Bihar, Samrat Chaudhary is signaling continuity.
09:18They could not have come up with like a Bhajan Lal Sharma or a Mohan Yadav kind of a name
09:23as they have done in other states.
09:26Yes, precisely, or even someone like Mohan Manji, etc., Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan,
09:35Madhya Pradesh.
09:35So that way, that also showed that BJP had the comfort zone in those states compared to
09:40Bihar.
09:41Why?
09:42Because BJP since mid-1990s has been playing second fiddle to Nitish Kumar, irrespective
09:48of the electoral outcome.
09:50This is one.
09:51Two, we need to remember that unlike those states in Bihar, still caste-centered leadership
09:58is entrusted.
09:59Still, BJP, which has become effectively an OBC and EBC party.
10:04But when it comes to the Dalit leaders, still the notable Dalit leaders are Chirag, Paswan,
10:10then Jitannam Manji, etc.
10:12You know, BJP, Dalit face still remains, you know, relatively weaker compared to even
10:18J.D.O, Ashok Chaudhary, etc.
10:19So that way, BJP has a lot of ground to cover.
10:23This is one.
10:24Two, why Samrat Chaudhary has been chosen?
10:27Because the perception disadvantage that BJP Bihar had of still being considered, despite
10:34the electoral representation being given to subaltern communities as an upper caste-centric
10:40party, now they needed a face which also could resonate with the popular OBC face.
10:46So therefore, Samrat Chaudhary, despite not coming from the core of the BJP, is the obvious
10:52choice.
10:53And this formula, when BJP political support base is changing and expanding, they need to
10:58take leadership as per that equation.
11:01We have seen Emanta, Vishwa, Sarma, lots, many Subendo Adhikari in Bengal, they are being
11:05for front aid.
11:06So in Bihar, this, because it's the expanding party, expanding party.
11:11Three, Vijay Chaudhary and Vijendra Yadav, they have been closed like a shadow.
11:18Vijay Chaudhary and Vijendra Yadav have been accompanying Mitish Kumar in most of his, you
11:23know, public appearances, travel, etc.
11:25And they come from two different ones, from the upper caste, Bhumiyar, other from the Yadav
11:30community.
11:31So that way you see parties collectively, coalition collectively is also trying to give a rainbow
11:37leadership, appealing and resonating to different segments.
11:41And I think the cabinet and the ministry also will take cognizance of that fact.
11:46So that way I think Nitish Kumar being replaced with Samrat Chaudhary and a team which resonates
11:52with different sections, something to everyone.
11:56That is the formula that is working.
11:57Yes.
11:59Yes.
12:00Yes.
12:01And I think, Amita, what will also be working is also time in the run-up to the next elections.
12:09That is 2029, Lok Sabine, 2030, assembly elections in Bihar.
12:13So Samrat Chaudhary gets almost three and a half to four years to prove himself, to prove
12:18his mettle as the chief minister, someone who can give good governance and at the same
12:23time ensure that the caste arithmetic is managed well.
12:28And then perhaps he should be judged.
12:31Or do you think Samrat Chaudhary, given the persona that he has of being very aggressive,
12:39will that be something that will make people perhaps judge him too soon?
12:46No, essentially you mentioned very correctly that he has a lot of time on hand.
12:50Secondly, he has a brute majority.
12:52That gives him comfort.
12:53The opposition is weakened, splintered, divided.
12:56So there is no opposition literally for the next three and a half, four years when he will
13:01be in power.
13:02So that gives him a base to overcome the political, electoral and the government challenges which
13:07we discussed.
13:09See, he might be considered as an aggressive Hindutva leader.
13:15But what happens is that when a tall leader occupies such an opposition, we've seen in
13:21the past, that leaders do change tactics strategy and do then become sober and also try to accommodate
13:32the aspirations of all sections of the society.
13:36And I think this very well is likely to happen in the case of Samrat Chaudhary also.
13:42Because mind you, he has also seen or worked in all three political parties which have had
13:49similar yet very dissimilar strategies regarding social coalition, governance, public policy, etc.
13:56So he has that experience at the back of his hands and a weakened opposition will help him
14:03deliver on the promises made in the manifesto of the BJP.
14:08Okay.
14:09Okay.
14:09So perhaps we'll be, you know, making an assessment of Samrat Chaudhary only after 100 days or perhaps
14:15six months.
14:16But the last word to you, Satya, and I have one minute for you.
14:20What does today mean for Biharis, including you?
14:24Today, for our generation who grew up in 1990s, it is an emotional moment, overwhelming moment
14:31and certainly treading cautiously about the future of Bihar.
14:36This is one.
14:37But remember, today's youth constitute almost 58% of Bihar.
14:42They have not seen 1990s.
14:44Their reference point cannot be, you know, 1990s against which Nitish Kumar always shines.
14:50They are witnessing the legacy of Nitish Kumar, Bihar, Rivarain State, connected with roads,
14:55bridges, etc.
14:56Relatively, you know, better law and order.
14:58So Samrat Chaudhary has to cater to that 60%, one of the youngest state of India, women,
15:06educated Biharis who have the aspiration.
15:09So that aspirational index is high from low aspiration state to the middle aspiration state.
15:15That is a Herculean challenge for Samrat Chaudhary.
15:19And therefore, it's a huge challenge.
15:22Okay.
15:23Okay.
15:23Yeah.
15:24Okay.
15:25Sajjan Kumar, Amitab Tiwari, really appreciate your time.
15:28Thank you so much for joining us.
15:30And soon after the resignation of Nitish Kumar, I spoke to JDU Working President Sanjay Jha on
15:38what will be the future role of Nitish Kumar in the functioning of the party and also what
15:46he sees as Nitish Kumar's legacy.
15:49I'm leaving you with this conversation.
15:50Thanks so much for watching and I'll be seeing you tomorrow.
15:53It's end of an era in the real sense in Bihar politics.
15:58What does it mean for your party?
15:59No, party.
16:00No, party.
16:01Party.
16:03Party.
16:04I mean, the whole 14 crore Bihari are.
16:07For everyone.
16:09For everyone.
16:10For everyone.
16:12For everyone.
16:12The whole tenure of the Pihar.
16:14And whoever it is.
16:16People who are here in Bihar.
16:18The Bihari who are outside Bihar.
16:20For everyone.
16:21It's a mustal moment.
16:22No doubt about it.
16:29But one person.
16:30But one person.
16:31Who has the pride of Bihar.
16:35Even his opponent's will say.
16:38In our life.
16:40When Bihar.
16:41The people who have the pride of Bihar.
16:46And the people who have the pride of Bihar.
16:52He has the pride of Bihar.
16:56He has restored every Bihari's self-respect.
17:01Undoubtedly, Sanjay Ji, I would agree with you that sense of Bihari pride or asmita,
17:05something that Nitish Kumar gave to everyone including me as a Bihari.
17:09But for your party, this is a moment of transition, a huge transition for Nitish Kumar to move to the
17:14Rajya Sabha
17:15and then the party has to maintain itself, maintain the momentum and ensure that its cadre remains united
17:23and at the same time motivated. How difficult it's going to be?
17:26See, he's still active. He has just become the national president of the party.
17:32He's in the Raj Sabha. He'll be there in Raj Sabha when session will be on.
17:37The rest of the time he'll be in Bihar only. So he'll be very active as far as our party
17:42is concerned.
17:43As far as government is concerned in Bihar, so he'll have definitely 2025,
17:49we have gone in election in Nitish Kumar as the face of this entire alliance.
17:56People have voted NDA and he was the face.
18:00So from here till 2030, he'll have a,
18:06he'll have a,
18:07he'll have a cabinet,
18:08he'll have a cabinet,
18:09he'll have a cabinet and he'll have a cabinet.
18:17So this is his government only.
18:19The government is his only.
18:21Continuity.
18:22Absolutely continuity.
18:23And he'll be guiding the government also.
18:26What about the big shoes that Nitish Kumar is leaving behind?
18:30It's a shoes of good governance.
18:32He gave Bihar model of government or governance which was unthinkable for the longest time Sanjay Ji.
18:40What happens to that?
18:41Bihar model of governance.
18:43That will continue.
18:45That will not be changed.
18:46Whatever governance he has given.
18:47For us,
18:49Today it is possible that we don't understand so much.
18:52But people who have seen Bihar before 2005,
18:57when he became Chief Minister,
19:00Law and Order was his biggest challenge.
19:04And from there he has started.
19:06And if you travel to Bihar,
19:11the kind of road,
19:13the kind of power,
19:16and particularly,
19:17now it's coming from the Nari Bandhan Bill.
19:20It's the 16th Debate.
19:22The woman empowerment,
19:24the work he has done in the last 20 years.
19:27He said,
19:27in 1000 years,
19:29what he has done in Bihar in the last 20 years.
19:32Once Prime Minister said,
19:40there are only three socialists he recalled.
19:43Prime Minister Modi.
19:45He said,
19:46there are only three socialists he recalled.
19:47there are only two of them.
19:48They have only one name in the living.
19:51He said,
19:52that it was Raman or Lohia,
19:55George Fernandes.
19:56They are no more.
19:58And in today's day,
19:59Nitish Kumar.
19:59So he is a combination of Gandhi,
20:06Ambedkar.
20:07Jay Prakas.
20:08Karpuri Ji.
20:10You mix all.
20:11And it is,
20:12you have to show everything.
20:15Total program of Yojana.
20:19So from now to now,
20:20you can see everything.
20:21And the whole thing is going to show everything.
20:23What about his son?
20:24There are a lot of talks around Nishant.
20:28Perhaps getting a place in the government.
20:30Is that a possibility?
20:32And what about his son?
20:32What will be the role of Nitish Kumar's son in the JDU as well?
20:38Nissan came in politics when Nitish Kumar ji was exiting from, you know, chief minister.
20:47And he never suggested.
20:50Nitish never suggested?
20:51Never, never, never.
20:53Whenever we talked about him, he never suggested.
20:56But the whole party ranked and file should come and work.
21:02And then when he decided that he will leave chief minister, only then Nisanth has entered in Bihar politics.
21:10Sanjati, what is likely to be the contours of this new government of the BJP?
21:14He started with Sat Nishchai 1, 2.
21:16Now this is Sat Nishchai 3.
21:18So it's all Nitish Kumar's idea which he had given and that government will implement.
21:24He believes that peace is very, very important for society in every respect.
21:29Only development will come.
21:31This is his punchline.
21:33In every respect.
21:35Peace means every respect.
21:37So on that line which they keep in society, keep in law and order, and keep in development.
21:46They don't say that this is the right time because it's a double-engine government.
21:51We are there in center also.
21:52So Bihar should come in top 10 state.
21:54So Bihar should come in top 10 state.
21:54So Bihar should come in top 10 state.
21:54So Bihar should come in top 10 state.
21:55So Bihar should come in top 10 state.
21:55So Bihar should come in top 10 state.
21:55So Bihar should come in top 10 state.
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