Patna: On Sunday, as Bihar’s chief minister, Nitish Kumar, marked his birthday, political attention shifted to his son, Nishant Kumar, amid renewed speculation over his possible entry into public life.
Nishant visited Patna’s Mahavir Temple in the morning, where he offered prayers, before proceeding to 1, Anne Marg, the chief minister’s official residence. He was seen touching his father’s feet, wishing him on his birthday and presenting him with prasad from the temple.
The day also saw political signals from within the ruling Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)). The party’s working president, Sanjay Jha, speaking at a Bihar Gaurav Diwas event organised by the All India Extremely Backward Mahasabha at social welfare minister Madan Sahni’s residence, said it was the “wish of everyone in the party” that the chief minister’s son should enter politics and join the JD(U). He added, however, that the final decision would rest with Nitish Kumar.
The comments have added momentum to ongoing discussions within the party about Nishant’s future. Posters calling for him to take on a larger political role have periodically appeared in Patna in recent months.
The debate has also intersected with speculation over the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Polls for five vacant seats in Bihar have been announced, and the nomination process is under way. Based on its strength in the state assembly, the JD(U) is expected to secure two of the five seats. The party has yet to announce its candidates, prompting talk in political circles that Nishant Kumar could be nominated. No senior leader has formally confirmed the possibility.
An ally of the JD(U), Upendra Kushwaha, chief of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), also weighed in. Extending birthday wishes to the chief minister, he told reporters that Nishant should be given a chance, adding that the matter was internal to the JD(U) and would ultimately be decided by Nitish Kumar.
Though Nishant Kumar has kept a relatively low profile in the past, he has appeared more frequently at public events since the last Bihar assembly elections, fuelling speculation that a formal political debut may be imminent.
