Bihar Minister Demands Renaming Bakhtiyarpur as Nitishpur

Bihar Minister Santosh Kumar Suman has called for the town of Bakhtiyarpur to be renamed 'Nitishpur'. He made the demand on September 9, 2026, addressing it to the state's current Chief Minister, Samrat Choudhary.

Santosh Kumar Suman is the National President of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and the son of Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. He argues that the change would honor former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was born in the town.

The Proposal's Justification

In a social media post, Suman stated the town is not only a geographic location but the birthplace of a leader who reshaped Bihar. "Let the birthplace of Bihar’s great mass leader bear his name-Bakhtiyarpur becomes ‘Nitishpur’," he wrote. He contends that renaming the area would be a tribute to the land's history and public sentiment connected to Nitish Kumar's life and struggles.

Suman has placed the proposal directly before Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. He asserts that the identity of the place that produced such a leader should itself carry that leader's name.

Opposition Criticism

The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has swiftly criticized the demand. Party spokesperson Ejaz Ahmed accused Suman of following the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) ideology, which he characterized as believing in name-changing politics.

Ahmed alleged the move is an attempt at damage control after Suman's recent statements on reviewing reservation policy. "BJP wants to establish itself by changing the name and identity of the place," Ahmed said. He also questioned the logic, noting that even Nitish Kumar's own party, the Janata Dal (United), was not pushing for such a renaming.

A Recurring Political Demand

This is not the first time a name change for Bakhtiyarpur has been proposed. According to The Hindu, BJP leaders in Bihar have made similar demands repeatedly. In 2018, Union Minister Giriraj Singh called for renaming Bakhtiyarpur and other towns named after what he termed Muslim invaders.

That demand gained traction after BJP-led name changes in neighboring Uttar Pradesh. In 2021, then BJP MLA Hari Bhushan Thakur specifically proposed renaming Bakhtiyarpur as 'Nitish Nagar'. Thakur argued that the town's namesake, Bakhtiya Khilji, destroyed the ancient Nalanda University and should not be glorified.

At that time, Nitish Kumar himself dismissed the idea. The former Chief Minister rejected the proposal, calling it "faltu baat" or worthless talk.

The current proposal from a minister in the ruling coalition revives this contentious political issue, linking local identity to broader debates over historical legacy and political tribute.