Nearly two months after officially joining the Janata Dal (United), Nishant Kumar, the son of former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is set to launch his first public outreach programme on Sunday.
Nishant, 45, joined JD(U) in March, just days after his father filed his nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections, a move that has been widely viewed as a significant step in the party's power transition.
There had been speculations that Nishant would be appointed the deputy chief minister in the new BJP-led government, but Nitish Kumar chose to involve his son in party activities before offering him a ministerial post.
On Sunday, Nishant will begin his "Sadbhav Yatra" (Goodwill Tour) from Valmiki Nagar in West Champaran district. This location holds significance, as Nitish Kumar has often chosen it as the starting point for his yatras during his nearly two-decade-long tenure as chief minister.
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Posters with the catchy slogan "Jai Nishant, tay Nishant" (Victory for Nishant, his rise is inevitable) have been put up across the town, as party workers prepare to welcome the heir apparent.
"Nishant hails from the land where Emperor Ashoka was born. Like his father, he is starting his Yatra from the land of Sage Valmiki," said JD(U) spokesperson and Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Neeraj Kumar at a press conference in Bettiah.
"Both Valmiki and Ashoka epitomised renunciation. Our supreme leader Nitish Kumar demonstrated the same spirit of renunciation when he decided to give up the seat of power to live by his convictions," he added.
Nitish Kumar's recent move to Delhi has triggered a realignment in the ruling alliance, with BJP leader Samrat Choudhary sworn in as the new chief minister. This shift was widely seen as part of a larger political strategy, with speculation abuzz that his resignation came under pressure from the BJP. BJP is the single largest party in the state with 89 MLAs, compared to JD(U)’s 85.
Also, JD(U) wanted to launch Nishant into state politics. However, Nishant’s sudden emergence has inevitably drawn comparisons to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son, Tejashwi Yadav, who has spent years building his political profile. In the coming months, Nishant’s leadership skills and ability to carry forward his father's legacy will be put to the test. If he fails to establish his authority, it could prompt sections of the party to seek more stable political alignments.
"Nishant has demonstrated the dispassion for power. He could have secured a berth in the new Cabinet or the state legislature any time. But he chose to shun shortcuts and earn his spurs through the tried and tested method of mass contact,” Neeraj Kumar said.