Launching his political innings, Nishant Kumar, the son of JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, joined the party fold Sunday, saying he was committed to take the message of his father’s work to every citizen and that he would try to win people’s hearts.
Days after Nitish filed his nomination for the March 16 Rajya Sabha polls, clearing decks for a new CM – expectedly from ally BJP – Nishant said Bihar as well as the country have been “proud” of the development work done by his father over the last 20 years.
Asserting that he would endeavour to strengthen the JD(U) organisation, Nishant, 50, said he respected his father’s decision to shift to the Rajya Sabha.
Nitish’s move has also set in motion a JD(U) exercise for Nishant’s elevation in the party and government in the coming days. JD(U) leaders and Nitish aides have already said that Nishant is going to become the JD(U) Legislature Party leader and Deputy CM soon.
Nishant’s formal induction into the JD(U) took place amid fanfare, with several elephants, camels and horses lined up outside its headquarters in Patna and party workers beating drums, raising slogans and showering rose petals.
As Nishant’s car entered the JD(U) office, it was showered with rose and marigold petals. There was even a stampede-like situation momentarily due to the rush of enthusiastic party’s rank and file, who descended on the capital from across the state.
Nishant took the JD(U)’s membership in the presence of senior party leaders and office-bearers, including its working president Sanjay Kumar Jha and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh or Lalan Singh.
However, Nitish, who had been known as a staunch critic of dynastic politics, was conspicuous by his absence on the occasion, which was attributed by the party to his “prior engagements”. His son shared pictures of him seeking blessings from his father.
Jha put the JD(U)’s green cap on Nishant’s head, even as slogans on posters put up by party workers read: “Naye adhyay ki shuruat (beginning of a new chapter)”.
As Nishant, dressed in a white kurta-pyjama, started speaking, party workers clapped at his every sentence. He said: “As an active JD(U) member, I would try to take care of the party. My father has decided to go to the Rajya Sabha, it is his personal decision. I accept and honour it. I would work under the guidance of my father. I would try to live up to your expectations and confidence you all have shown in me.”
Highlighting the legacy of 10-time CM Nitish, Nishant said: “Whatever work my father has done in the last 20 years, I would try to create awareness about it among all citizens. I would try to make my place in people’s hearts.”
Earlier in the day, Nishant, a software engineer by training, met Nitish to seek his blessings before embarking on his political journey. In one of the pictures, he is seen in half-embrace with his father; in another frame, he is seen putting his arms around his father and Jha.
Nishant’s move to join the JD(U) came amid refrain among a large section of party leaders and workers that he would be “Nitish’s successor” and “inheritor of his father’s political legacy”.
Nalanda JD(U) MP Kaushlendra Kumar said: “Nishant will re-energise the party cadre. Once he starts touring Bihar, he would get to realise how his joining the party has galvanised our workers.”
In an X post, Jha said: “A new chapter is added in JD(U) family today. Nishant Kumar joining the party is not mere taking party membership but it marks the arrival of carrier of a rich political and social legacy (of Nitish Kumar)… I believe Nishant would carry forward ideals of our leader Nitish Kumar, his feelings of public service and resolution of further developing Bihar and would play a key role towards service of society and state.”
In his social media post, Lalan Singh said: “His (Nishant’s) joining is seen as a boost to the party’s energy, direction, and strength. Workers welcomed him and reiterated their commitment to the party’s ideology and service to the people.”
The JD(U) timed Nishant’s induction to coincide with International Women’s Day as a “mark of respect to the vast women constituency of Nitish Kumar”.
The NDA government also put out full-page ads in leading dailies to showcase Nitish’s commitment towards women empowerment and his women-centric schemes.
Nishant is likely to be nominated to the Legislative Council soon after the formation of a new BJP-led government in the state.
JD (U) sources said Nishant could be the party’s lone Deputy CM in the new government. “We would not like to have two power centres in the party. Two Deputy CMs, like the BJP has had in the Nitish-led government, could send confusing signals,” said a party insider.