Nitin Nabin offers prayers at Hanuman Temple in Patna ahead of filing nomination for RS polls

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the nomination filings of the newly elected BJP chief Nitin Nabin as the party's candidate from Bihar, according to sources.

Along with Nitin Nabin, the party has selected Shivesh Kumar as a candidate from Bihar. In Assam, Terash Gowalla and Jogen Mohan have been nominated, while Laxmi Verma will contest from Chhattisgarh. Haryana's candidate is Sanjay Bhatia. Odisha will see Manmohan Samal and Sujeet Kumar representing the party, and Rahul Sinha has been chosen from West Bengal. In Maharashtra, NDA announced Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief Ramdas Athawale, BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde, Ramrao Wadkute and Maya Chitaman Ivnate as its candidates.

Meanwhile, speculation is stirring about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filing a nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections.

Sources from the Janata Dal (United) have stated that Nitish Kumar might resign from the CM post and move to the Rajya Sabha.

However, Union Minister Giriraj Singh refuted the speculations, suggesting that the Bihar CM might resign and file a nomination for the Rajya Sabha."Such jokes are common on Holi. Nitish Kumar ji is our Chief Minister," Singh said.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Chief and Union Minister Chirag Paswan has dismissed speculation of a leadership change in Bihar.

"There's no discussion on changing the Chief Minister. Nitish Kumar will continue to lead Bihar, and our double-engine government is working well," said the Union Minister.

The last day of filing nominations is March 5, scrutiny on March 6, and withdrawal by March 9. Polling will be held on March 16, with vote counting the same day at 5 pm, and the process will conclude by March 20.

The elections will fill 37 seats across 10 states - Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana - whose members' terms end in April 2026. (ANI)