New Delhi/Patna: Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar reached Delhi on Tuesday evening accompanied by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lallan Singh and JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha. While party sources described the trip as a private visit with personal meetings lined up for Wednesday, political circles in Patna and Delhi were abuzz with speculation that Kumar could also meet National Democratic Alliance (NDA) vice-presidential candidate CP Radhakrishnan. The JD(U) has already pledged its support to Radhakrishnan.
The Delhi visit comes against the backdrop of hectic political negotiations within the NDA over seat-sharing for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, expected in October–November. Before leaving Patna, Nitish met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at his residence. The two leaders discussed political strategies, with sources suggesting an effort to finalise the seat distribution among NDA allies by the first or second week of September.
At a BJP youth conclave later in the day, Pradhan underlined the partnership between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, stating that the two leaders were committed to taking Bihar “to new heights.”
With the JD(U) targeting more than 225 seats in alliance with the BJP and other NDA partners, both sides are under pressure to strike a balance that ensures a united front before the polls.
