Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, joined the JD(U) on Sunday. An engineering graduate who is in his 40s, Nishant was inducted at the party headquarters in the presence of top leaders, including Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’ and JD(U)’s national working president Sanjay Jha.
Nishant received a rousing reception at the JD(U) office on his arrival following days of resentment within the party over party’s patriarch entering the Rajya Sabha. Party functionaries gathered outside the office and were seen waving party flags and beating drums. Some party workers came on decorated horses carrying the placards that read Nishant hai to nischint hain (If there is Nishant, then we are relived). Clad in a kurta-pyjama and wearing a flip-flop, Nishant said, “My father decided to go to the Rajya Sabha. It was his personal decision. We all respect it. We will keep working under his guidance. I will work to strengthen the organisation.” Speculation is rife that Nishant will be made deputy CM in the new Government.
The party also announced Nitish Kumar will resume his ‘Sammridhi Yatra’ from Monday and his son Nishant make take over the baton to continue further. The Sammridhi Yatra was launched on January 16 from West Champaran district, but had to be discontinued due to the Budget session of the Bihar Assembly.
“I thank everyone. I will honour the trust you all have placed in me. The country, our state and I are proud of what my father has done in the last 20 years. I will take the development work done by the CM to the masses,” Nishant said.
