Nishant Kumar, the son of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Sunday formally joined the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) at the party headquarters in Patna, marking his official entry into Bihar politics after staying away from public life for years.
The engineering graduate who is in his 40s, took party membership from the JD(U) National Working President Sanjay Jha in the presence of senior party leaders, including Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary. A large number of party workers were also present during the induction ceremony.
Significantly, the development comes just days after Nitish Kumar filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha, fuelling speculation about a generational shift within the party.
As Nishant arrived at the party office, JD(U) workers raised slogans such as “Yuva soch, majboot sankalp” (think young with strong determination), reflecting expectations that his entry could bring a greater focus on youth-oriented agendas within the party.
Addressing party workers after joining JD(U), Nishant thanked the leadership and supporters for placing their trust in him.
“I thank everyone. I will try to live up to the trust you all have placed in me. I, the entire Bihar and the entire country are proud of what my father has done in the last 20 years,” he said.
People of the state will never forget the CM's contribution to the state's development, he added.
He also referred to his father’s decision to move to the Rajya Sabha. “My father decided to go to the Rajya Sabha. We respect his decision and will continue working under his guidance,” he added.
Although Nitish Kumar was not present at the event, Nishant’s formal induction is being seen as a significant moment for JD(U), with political observers viewing it as the possible beginning of a leadership transition in the party.
(With inputs from Agencies)