Nitish's Son All Set To Join JD(U)
A "unanimous" decision has been taken to make Nishant the deputy CM in the new government to be formed upon Kumar's resignation
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2026-03-07 20:21 GMT
New Delhi, Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son Nishant Kumar is all set to formally join the JD(U) on Sunday, marking a generational shift in party leadership. Nishant's joining will take place at the party's headquarters in Patna in the presence of senior leaders, ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Kumar's close aide claimed that a "unanimous" decision has been taken to make Nishant the deputy CM in the new government.
The confirmation regarding Nishant's entry into politics comes two days after the JD(U) supremo filed nomination papers for the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections, marking a turning point in Bihar politics and virtually bringing the curtain down on his tenure as the state's longest-serving chief minister.
"Nishant met party MLAs and MLCs at the residence of JD(U) national working president Sanjay Jha in Patna on Friday and discussed his future strategies at length. It has been finalised that Nishant will enter active politics after formally joining the JD(U) on Sunday," the party sources said, adding that senior party leader Sharvan Kumar was the only Bihar minister who was present in the meeting.
According to JD(U) MLA Hari Narayan Singh, a close aide of the Bihar chief minister, a "unanimous" decision has been taken to make Nishant the deputy CM in the new government to be formed upon Kumar's resignation.
Singh, the MLA from Harnaut, the Assembly segment in Nalanda district that Kumar himself had represented in the 1980s, also claimed that Nishant, who is entering politics in his late 40s, will be elected to the state legislative council next month.
"At the legislature party meeting held at the chief minister's residence, a unanimous decision was taken to make Nishant the deputy CM in the new government," Singh said, a day after the JD(U) president briefed his colleagues about his decision to give up the post and move to the Rajya Sabha.
The JD(U) MLA added: "It was also decided that Nishant shall formally join the JD(U). Since he must become a member of the legislature to hold a constitutional post, he will be elected to the legislative council in April when biennial elections to nine seats are scheduled. He need not necessarily contest from the seat that falls vacant upon his father's resignation."
To a pointed query, Singh said, "It is not clear whether Nishant will become the deputy CM as soon as a new government is in place or after some time. That is a decision to be taken by the top leadership in due course. I cannot say anything about the speculation that the JD(U) will insist on having two deputy CMs. Yesterday, a decision was taken only on Nishant."
Speculation is rife that the chief minister's post shall now be taken by the BJP, which is the single-largest party in the ruling NDA, and the JD(U) might insist on having two deputy CMs with the crucial home portfolio, a complete reversal of the arrangement that is currently in place.
Meanwhile, the Opposition continued to fish in the NDA's troubled waters, alleging that Mr Kumar was being "driven out of Bihar" by the BJP, which was also "denying him an honourable exit".
Former chief minister and RJD leader Rabri Devi said, "Mr Kumar is not giving up his post on his own accord. He is being driven out of Bihar by the BJP. But he should resist and refuse to buckle under pressure."
Bihar Congress media cell chief Rajesh Rathore, meanwhile, asked Union home minister Amit Shah to "give up his ruthlessness and let Mr Kumar, an old ally, have an honourable exit".
"Now that Mr Kumar has made up his mind to contest the Rajya Sabha elections, the least that Mr Shah can do is to withdraw one of his candidates and let the five remaining ones, including the JD(U) president, get elected unopposed. Mr Kumar has honoured this tradition during his long innings," Mr Rathore said in a statement.
The JD(U) legislators had on Friday expressed their anguish to Mr Kumar over his decision to move to Delhi as a Rajya Sabha MP but had drawn solace from the imminent political entry of Nishant.
The JD(U)'s members of the bicameral legislature and both the Houses of Parliament, who had been taken aback by the sudden move of the JD(U) chief, got an opportunity to interact with him at a meeting on Friday evening at the chief minister's residence.
"Lawmakers of the party were assured by the chief minister that he had taken the decision on his own and was not under any pressure. Mr Kumar also assured that he will keep himself available for party workers in the state for guidance," Bihar parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary told reporters after the meeting.
Replying to another query, Mr Chaudhary said, "Yes, the CM has given the green signal for Nishant's entry into the party."
"Nishant met party MLAs and MLCs at the residence of JD(U) national working president Sanjay Jha in Patna on Friday and discussed his future strategies at length. It has been finalised that Nishant will enter active politics after formally joining the JD(U) on Sunday," the party sources said, adding that senior party leader Sharvan Kumar was the only Bihar minister who was present in the meeting.
According to JD(U) MLA Hari Narayan Singh, a close aide of the Bihar chief minister, a "unanimous" decision has been taken to make Nishant the deputy CM in the new government to be formed upon Kumar's resignation.
Singh, the MLA from Harnaut, the Assembly segment in Nalanda district that Kumar himself had represented in the 1980s, also claimed that Nishant, who is entering politics in his late 40s, will be elected to the state legislative council next month.
"At the legislature party meeting held at the chief minister's residence, a unanimous decision was taken to make Nishant the deputy CM in the new government," Singh said, a day after the JD(U) president briefed his colleagues about his decision to give up the post and move to the Rajya Sabha.
The JD(U) MLA added: "It was also decided that Nishant shall formally join the JD(U). Since he must become a member of the legislature to hold a constitutional post, he will be elected to the legislative council in April when biennial elections to nine seats are scheduled. He need not necessarily contest from the seat that falls vacant upon his father's resignation."
To a pointed query, Singh said, "It is not clear whether Nishant will become the deputy CM as soon as a new government is in place or after some time. That is a decision to be taken by the top leadership in due course. I cannot say anything about the speculation that the JD(U) will insist on having two deputy CMs. Yesterday, a decision was taken only on Nishant."
Speculation is rife that the chief minister's post shall now be taken by the BJP, which is the single-largest party in the ruling NDA, and the JD(U) might insist on having two deputy CMs with the crucial home portfolio, a complete reversal of the arrangement that is currently in place.
Meanwhile, the Opposition continued to fish in the NDA's troubled waters, alleging that Mr Kumar was being "driven out of Bihar" by the BJP, which was also "denying him an honourable exit".
Former chief minister and RJD leader Rabri Devi said, "Mr Kumar is not giving up his post on his own accord. He is being driven out of Bihar by the BJP. But he should resist and refuse to buckle under pressure."
Bihar Congress media cell chief Rajesh Rathore, meanwhile, asked Union home minister Amit Shah to "give up his ruthlessness and let Mr Kumar, an old ally, have an honourable exit".
"Now that Mr Kumar has made up his mind to contest the Rajya Sabha elections, the least that Mr Shah can do is to withdraw one of his candidates and let the five remaining ones, including the JD(U) president, get elected unopposed. Mr Kumar has honoured this tradition during his long innings," Mr Rathore said in a statement.
The JD(U) legislators had on Friday expressed their anguish to Mr Kumar over his decision to move to Delhi as a Rajya Sabha MP but had drawn solace from the imminent political entry of Nishant.
The JD(U)'s members of the bicameral legislature and both the Houses of Parliament, who had been taken aback by the sudden move of the JD(U) chief, got an opportunity to interact with him at a meeting on Friday evening at the chief minister's residence.
"Lawmakers of the party were assured by the chief minister that he had taken the decision on his own and was not under any pressure. Mr Kumar also assured that he will keep himself available for party workers in the state for guidance," Bihar parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary told reporters after the meeting.
Replying to another query, Mr Chaudhary said, "Yes, the CM has given the green signal for Nishant's entry into the party."