Patna: A new chapter appears to be unfolding in Bihar’s political landscape as Nishant Kumar, the son of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, formally entered politics and joined the Janata Dal (United) on March 8.
A day after joining the party, Nishant visited Manju Singh Park in the Kankarbagh area of Patna on Monday, where he paid tribute to his mother by garlanding the statue of Manju Sinha. The moment appeared emotional for him as he spoke briefly about her absence.
“I miss my mother a lot,” he told reporters, adding that he had come to seek her blessings. He said he often feels her absence and that it would have been better if she were still alive today.
Nishant said he plans to travel across all 38 districts of Bihar in the coming weeks as part of efforts to strengthen the party organisation and connect directly with people. According to him, preparations for the tour are currently under way.
During an interaction with the media, he also congratulated the Indian cricket team for winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, calling it a proud moment for the country.
When asked about speculation among some party workers that he could become chief minister in the future, Nishant responded with a smile but declined to comment.
His political debut has drawn reactions from leaders across the state. Bihar’s deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary said Nishant’s entry into politics was welcome but added that the decision was entirely that of the JD(U). He did not respond to remarks made earlier by former chief minister Rabri Devi, who had criticised Nitish Kumar and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party was sidelining him.
Union minister Sanjay Paswan said differing opinions existed within political parties and that any discussion on the matter would take place within party meetings.
At the event marking his arrival in the party, Nishant greeted leaders and workers with folded hands, echoing a gesture often associated with his father. Dressed in a white kurta and Crocs sandals, he said he would try to carry forward the development work undertaken in Bihar over the past two decades under Nitish Kumar’s leadership.
