Bihar Election 2025: Nitish Kumar’s son to fight polls? Prashant Kishor to join Cong-RJD’s INDIA bloc? Rumours run high

Political parties in Bihar have upped their ante as the state assembly election nears. While the rumours about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s son contesting the 2025 elections do the rounds, leaders across parties seem to woo voters through activities and campaigns ahead of the polls.

All eyes are on the fight between the JDU-BJP-led NDA and the Congress-RJD-led India bloc in Bihar this year. Who will be the next Bihar CM? As the race for the CM post continues, political parties have started discussing alliances and strategies for the polls.

Here’s all the latest happening in Bihar amid election fever:

Will Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant contest 2025 polls?

Speculations are rife that Nishant Kumar, CM Nitish Kumar’s son, may enter politics this year and contest the 2025 Bihar elections from Harnaut constituency. Notably, the Harnaut constituency had elected his father decades ago.

There are also rumours that Nishant could join the Janata Dal-United (JDU), which does not have a succession plan in the event of his father hanging his boots.

The speculation started when JD(U) supporters put up a poster outside the party office in Patna in support of CM Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar, news agency ANI reported. The posters read ‘Bihar ki maang, sun liye Nishant, bahut bahut dhanyawaad.’ (Nishant, thank you very much for listening to the demands of Bihar.)

Nishant Kumar was also seen with the top leadership of the JD(U) during Holi celebrations. He has been gradually increasing his public presence, recently visiting his ancestral home in Bakhtiyarpur with his father.

During this visit, he appealed to the people to support his father and the Janata Dal (United) party, even urging voters to ensure Nitish Kumar becomes Chief Minister again.

Neither Nishant, nor Nitish Kumar have reacted to the claims. Recently, JDU state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha rubbished the speculation saying, “…There is no such discussion.. I want to clarify that he will decide his own future. However, as of now, there is no such involvement in politics..”

NDA ally and HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi also said that Nishant Kumar “cannot be an exception” in Bihar politics. “…if he wants to come into politics, it is not surprising, I would be individually welcoming him,” he told PTI.

Nitish Kumar’s unwell?

Political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor said, “Nitish Kumar is physically tired and mentally unfit…”

Kishor, who launched his party Jan Suraaj ahead of Bihar election, said discussions were being held with officials regarding Nitish Kumar’s health, and through them, “I realised that his mental condition has been deteriorating day by day…”

Meanwhile, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav referred to Nitish Kumar as a “tired” Chief Minister. On Nitish Kumar’s birthday, Tejashwi took a jibe, saying, “A 15-year-old vehicle doesn’t run, so why should a 20-year-old government?” According to ANI, the RJD leader said that the Chief Minister was in an ‘unconscious state’.

Not just the Opposition, but leaders of the JDU’s ally BJP said Nitish Kumar “is a bit unwell.”

Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said that there is no doubt that Nitish Kumar is a “bit unwell”. He said, “There seems to be some issue that is repeatedly visible. He has played a significant role in Bihar’s development. If someone is unwell, there should be no politics over it.”

However, JDU leaders and even Nitish Kumar denied claims about the Bihar CM’s health. The son said, “My father is 100 per cent fit”.

Meanwhile, JDU MP Sanjay Jha said, “…He [Nitish Kumar] is very active. Even during the winter, he campaigned tirelessly. This is an election year, and people are observing everything, including the language being used against him. There is a sense of desperation…Let them say whatever they want.”

Prashant Kishore to join INDIA bloc?

Krishna Allavaru, the in-charge of AICC Bihar, responded to questions about political strategist Prashant Kishore’s prospective participation in the INDIA coalition.

“As you are saying that he is standing against the BJP, the decision regarding him will be discussed and taken by the INDIA alliance parties,” Allavaru was quoted by ANI as saying.

The statement comes amid Kishore’s criticism of the Bihar CM and the BJP.

No rift in INDIA bloc in Bihar?

The Congress officially announced its decision to contest the Bihar elections under the umbrella of the INDIA Bloc. The decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday.

CM face of NDA and India

After a meeting on Tuesday (March 25), the Congress asserted that the alliance partners would take a “collective decision” on the chief ministerial face.

Meanwhile, Chief minister Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar said in his first major political statement that the NDA should name his father as CM face.

“I urge the people of Bihar to vote for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar as he has done a lot of development in the state. The public should ensure that we win more seats in the elections so that we can continue the pace of development…The NDA should also announce that he [Nitish Kumar] is the CM face. The government should be formed again in Bihar under his leadership,” Nishant said.

Besides, BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said that both the central as well as the state leadership has declared that the elections will be contested under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar.

“There is no dispute over NDA’s face in Bihar. The central and state leadership has declared that they will contest the (Bihar assembly) elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and win over 200 seats…,” he was quoted by ANI as saying.

No party has declared a CM face yet.

Iftar parties

Several political leades from ruling and the opposition hosted and attended Iftaar parties during the month if Ramazan, with many calling it a move to woo Muslim voters. The consolidated Muslim and Yadav votes were said to be one of the factors behind the RJD’s performance in the 2020 Bihar election, when it had emerged as the single-largest party.

Nitish Kumar, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjh, Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Union Minister and National President of Lok Janshakti Party Chirag Paswan, Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, RJD Chief Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabdi Devi and several other Bihar leaders actively participated in the evening feats.

Several Muslim organisations reportedly boycotted Iftar party hosted by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. “Those who opposed it are the ones associated with the Rashtriya Janta Dal and Congress… They are doing their politics… Iftar party is a worship, and there cannot be politics in it… They just wanted to do politics; they have nothing to do with the welfare of Muslims…,” Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh had said.

Distribute festive kits for Eid, Baisakhi & Easter

Politics also ensued over festive kits for Eid, Baisakhi and Easter distributed by the BJP Minority Morcha. It was called ‘Saugat-e-Modi’ drive. The BJP launched the ‘Saugat-e-Modi’ campaign, aiming to distribute festive kits to 32 lakh underprivileged individuals from Muslim, Sikh & Christian communities across the country.

The BJP’s initiative drew attention as political parties in Bihar gear up for the upcoming elections. Opposition parties raised concerns over the timing of the distribution, alleging it as a political move ahead of the polls.

BJP Minority Morcha chief Jamal Siddiqui emphasised that the initiative aims to strengthen bonds between the party and minority communities. “This is part of the BJP’s outreach and a way to demonstrate the ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ philosophy of the Narendra Modi government,” Siddiqui told The Hindu.

However, Opposition MPs called the ‘Saugat-e-Modi’ kits programme of the Uttar Pradesh BJP as a tactic to get votes and an electoral stunt. “Bihar elections are coming and they are asking for votes in ‘saugat’. If he is so keen, he should provide employment in Bihar. This is just for the sake of votes,” Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan was quoted by PTI as saying.

Politics behind Nitish Kumar’s Bihar cabinet expansion

Bihar inducted seven new ministers from the BJP in February 2025. The expansion was seen as a careful caste calculation of the BJP’s support.

Sanjay Saraogi, Sunil Kumar, Jibesh Mishra, Krishna Kumar Mantoo, Motilal Prasad, Vijay Kumar Mandal and Raju Kumar Singh took oath as ministers.

According to the Times of India, two of the new ministers Jibesh Kumar (Bhumihar) and Raju Kumar Singh (Rajput), belong to the upper castes, which constitute just over 10 percent of Bihar’s population.

Also, except Sunil Kumar, all other six ministers hail from the region north of the Ganges, where the NDA has been performing better than the rival RJD, Congress and Left alliance (INDIA), the report added

When is Bihar election 2025?

Assembly elections in Bihar are likely to be held in October-November this year. The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, of which the Congress is a part, is looking to wrest power from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the assembly polls due later this year.