A poster in Patna
By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: Speculation over the political launch of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, has been doing the rounds for quite some time, but the buzz has intensified in recent days. From grassroots workers to several senior leaders, voices within the JD(U) have openly pitched for his entry into active politics. Just ahead of the New Year, posters carrying this demand have surfaced in Patna.
On December 31, the last day of the year, a poster was put up outside the JD(U) office in the state capital, urging the Chief Minister to induct Nishant Kumar into politics in the New Year and entrust him with party responsibility. The poster, issued by a JD(U) leader describing himself as a “Nitish Sevak” (Nitish’s devotee), sought a “New Year’s gift” from the Chief Minister for the party’s future.
The poster read: *“A new New Year’s gift… Nitish Sevaks ask for Nishant. Bihar is safe in uncle’s hands; now shape the future of the party’s next generation, brother Nishant Kumar.”*
The man behind the poster has been identified as Krishna Patel, the state vice-president of the JD(U) student wing, who calls himself a “Nitish Sevak”. Patel has on several occasions earlier raised the demand for bringing Nishant Kumar into politics.
The call for Nishant Kumar’s political entry has been growing steadily. A few days ago, JD(U) workers also staged a 12-hour hunger strike at Patna’s Gardanibagh protest site, insisting that the Chief Minister should now launch his son into politics and hand over the party’s reins.
Support for Nishant Kumar’s political debut is not limited to grassroots cadres. Several senior leaders have also spoken in favour of the move. Shrawan Kumar, a minister from Nalanda and considered close to Nitish Kumar, has repeatedly said that many people want Nishant to play an active role in politics. National executive president Sanjay Jha and other leaders have also echoed similar views.
Despite the mounting discussion, however, there has been no indication so far from Nitish Kumar that his son will enter politics in the near future. The Chief Minister has consistently opposed dynastic politics and often targets RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav on this very issue. In such a scenario, as long as Nitish Kumar remains politically active, the chances of Nishant Kumar’s political debut appear slim.
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