PATNA: The national council of Janata Dal (United) on Sunday formally approved the re-election of Nitish Kumar as national president of the party. He was elected unopposed during organisational polls held earlier in March this year.
At the state council meeting, state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha’s re-election was also ratified unanimously. A political resolution was passed seeking a larger organisational role for Nishant Kumar, son of Nitish Kumar.
JD(U) working president and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Kumar Jha said Nishant, who is a minister in the Samrat Choudhary cabinet, would play a major role in the organisation in the future. “The issue of Nishant playing a role in the party was discussed during our national and state council meetings. Nishant is presently working in the government, and in the coming days, he will also be involved in party affairs. He represents the future of the party, and that is the most important thing.”
On the possibility of JD(U) contesting the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election next year, Jha said, “We are discussing the matter now. Our party has always had a base in Uttar Pradesh, and leaders from UP are also present in Patna for participating in the meetings. We will meet them separately. There is a strong willingness within the party to make our presence stronger and contest the elections in Uttar Pradesh.”
“Our responsibility has increased. With this responsibility, we will now work together with the party workers. We will strengthen the party across Bihar. At the meeting, my father was formally announced as the national president," Nishant Kumar said.
State minister Madan Sahni said Nishant would be given greater responsibility in the party in the coming days. “He is young. Youth will join the party under his able leadership, which will ultimately strengthen the party,” he said.
Party leaders also raised a unanimous demand before Nitish Kumar at the meeting to empower Nishant with a party post to strengthen the NDA’s ruling ally in Bihar at the grassroots level. Ashok Choudhary said, “Nishant is our leader. And he will remain so in the future too.”
