Nitish Kumar takes Rajya Sabha oath, achieves rare constitutional milestone

Nitish Kumar on Friday took oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha, marking a significant political development in his long career in coalition politics

Known for his handling of coalition arrangements, Kumar has played a key role in keeping the National Democratic Alliance in power both in Bihar and at the Centre

With this move, Kumar achieved the rare distinction of having served in every legislative body in the country, including the Bihar Assembly, Legislative Council, Lok Sabha, and now the Rajya Sabha

Following his entry into Parliament, Kumar stepped down from the Bihar Legislative Council, with his resignation formally submitted by JD(U) MLC Sanjay Gandhi to Council chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh

Kumar had been elected to the Rajya Sabha on March 16 along with four other NDA nominees from Bihar and was subsequently unanimously chosen as president of the Janata Dal (United)

Despite his move to Parliament, constitutional provisions allow Kumar to continue as Bihar Chief Minister for up to six months, though rules required him to resign from the state legislature within 14 days of becoming an MP

Under Article 101 of the Indian Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1951, an individual cannot simultaneously hold membership in Parliament and a state legislature, requiring resignation from one post within the stipulated timeframe

Meanwhile, senior BJP leaders are meeting in Delhi to decide on the next phase of leadership in Bihar, while bypolls are expected to be conducted to fill the vacant Legislative Council seat within six months from March 30