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Nishant’s possible entry into active politics had been doing the rounds within JD(U) circles over the last year. A source within the party said Nitish Kumar’s son may join politics after Holi.
Nishant Kumar’s entry into politics had been floated despite the CM’s objection to dynastic politics. (PTI/File)
Janata Dal (United) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar is gearing up for his political debut ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for later this year, bringing an interesting change as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has planned to contest with Nitish Kumar as the CM face once again.
Party sources told The Indian Express that Nishant Kumar is likely to join active politics after Holi, following an “ever-growing demand from party workers” for his entry into the political arena. “He seems to be ready to join politics. It is only about getting the green signal from Nitish Kumar,” a JD(U) source was quoted as saying.
Nitish Kumar, who is in his 70s, is the longest-serving chief minister of Bihar. As such, Nishant’s name had been doing the rounds within the JD(U) circles over the last year, even though several leaders initially downplayed his role in politics.
On January 8, Nishant was seen alongside his father in their hometown of Bakhtiyarpur to unveil the statues of freedom fighters, where he publicly urged people to bring him back in the upcoming elections. “If possible, please vote for my father and his party and give him a chance once again,” he said, although he remained mum about his own inclusion.
Who Is Nishant Kumar?
Nishant Kumar was born on July 20, 1975, and is the only son of the current Bihar CM and Manju Sinha, who passed away in 2007. A software engineer and an alumnus of the Birla Institute of Technology (BIT) Mesra, Nishant Kumar, 49, has kept a relatively low profile and has stayed away from most political events.
In July last year, he had rejected speculations of his entry into politics and said he had chosen the path of spirituality. However, he did attend his father’s oath-taking ceremony in 2015, after which senior JD(U) leader Shravan Kumar hinted that the younger Kumar may join politics, saying a decision would be taken at the right time.
Nishant’s possible entry into politics becomes more interesting as his father, who calls himself a true disciple of the late former Bihar CM Karpuri Thakur, has been a staunch critic of dynastic politics over the years, criticised the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) for the same.
In June last year, JD(U) state General Secretary Pram Hans Kumar said it was the demand of the time and the situation that Nishant Kumar came forward for the welfare of the party and the state. “Nitish Kumar opposes ‘parivarvaad’ but if a leader with a clean image has a son who wants to serve the country and the state honestly, then what is wrong with it?” he said.
Reactions To Nishant Kumar’s Political Entry
Following the January 8 event, opposition parties reacted strongly to Nishant’s support for his father in the upcoming elections, saying it described Nitish Kumar’s waning mass appeal. The RJD and Congress predicted major political developments in Bihar and suggested that Nitish would want to pass on his legacy, The Times of India reported.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the JD(U) came in the defence of the CM and his son. “He (Nishant Kumar) will turn out to be a calm and far-sighted leader. People don’t know much about him because he doesn’t come much in public… Demanding Nishant Kumar in politics doesn’t mean that our party has got weak so that the party can be further strengthened and state can be developed further,” said Hans Kumar.
The BJP also praised the work done by Nitish Kumar over the last few years and said Nishant’s statement was a rightful contribution to his father’s contributions to the state.
(with ANI inputs)
