PATNA, Sept. 29 -- BJP leader Awadhesh Naraain Singh, 78, resigned as chairman of the Bihar legislative council on Monday, clearing the way for the election of a new presiding officer. Singh submitted his resignation to deputy chairman Rambachan Rai, 82, of the JD(U), who was made the acting chairperson. Rai's term as a MLC will end in March, 2027. Singh served as chairman of the council for four terms. He first held the post from August 8, 2012, to May 9, 2017. He returned as chairman on June 16, 2020, and served until August 25, 2022. He was appointed acting chairman from June 20 to July 23, 2024, before taking over as chairman again on July 23, 2024. He remained in the post until his resignation on Monday, according to the Bihar legislative council website. Talking to journalists in his chamber, Singh said, "In all these days that I worked as the chairman, please forgive me for any mistake, which I may have unknowingly committed. Remember my good actions and forget the bad ones." Singh also expressed his gratitude to the members of the legislative council for all the respect and cooperation he got from them. "Cutting across party lines, I got more respect than I deserved from the members of the council. This is a very big achievement and I am obliged to all the members of the council," he said. He also thanked his party leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and party national president Nitin Nabin as well as former chief minister Nitish Kumar for reposing faith in him. Asked about his future plans, Singh said, "I still have 2-3 years left (as a member of the legislative council). I will continue to be in active politics. I will be more than willing to shoulder any responsibility my party gives me." With the Bihar council chairman's post now vacant, the process for electing a successor will begin. Until then, the deputy chairman is expected to oversee the council's proceedings as provided under the rules. Singh's resignation has also triggered discussions within political circles over his successor. The ruling alliance is expected to take a decision on the new chairman soon, though the final choice will be clear only after the election process and formal announcement. Singh's resignation was on the cards. Under the pre-decided power-sharing formula within the NDA, the JD(U) was to get the Bihar legislative council chairman's post after BJP's Prem Kumar became the speaker of the legislative assembly on December 2, 2025. It has been a longstanding practice in the NDA for its two main allies, the BJP and the JD(U), to head one house each. Accordingly, when the BJP had the council chairman's post, the JD(U)) held the deputy chairman's position. The same power-sharing arrangement has been followed in the state government. When JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar was chief minister, the BJP had two deputy chief ministers. Now that BJP's Samrat Choudhary is chief minister, the JD(U) has two deputy CMs - Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav....