Patna: Nishant Kumar, the son of former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, began his first public political tour on Sunday, setting off on a “Sadbhav Yatra” that could signal a generational shift within the Janata Dal (United).
The tour began with Nishant travelling from Patna to Valmikinagar in West Champaran, where he is scheduled to meet party workers and supporters. Before departing, he visited his father at the family residence on 7 Circular Road in Patna to seek his blessings.
The launch of the yatra is being viewed as Nishant Kumar’s formal entry into active politics after years of maintaining a low public profile. Party leaders said the campaign is intended to take Nitish Kumar’s development agenda to the people and strengthen the organisation ahead of future electoral contests.
Speaking to reporters in Patna, Nishant said the name of the tour reflected its central message of inclusion.
“We have called it the Sadbhav Yatra because it means taking everyone along,” he said. “Whether rich or poor, Dalit, extremely backward classes or minorities, everyone must move forward together in a spirit of love and brotherhood.”
Nishant also drew symbolic parallels with Champaran, where Mahatma Gandhi launched his first satyagraha movement in India.
“Gandhi Ji began his first Satyagraha from Champaran. My father also started many of his important journeys from there. I am beginning my first journey from the same place,” he said.
The first day of the tour includes visits to several locations in Bettiah and West Champaran, where local party workers have organised welcome events. On Monday, Nishant is also expected to visit Valmikinagar for a jungle safari.
Supporters gathered in Vaishali earlier in the day, showered flower petals from JCB as Nishant greeted crowds from a campaign vehicle. Some chanted slogans describing him as Bihar’s future chief minister, underlining growing enthusiasm among sections of the party base.
Notably, the campaign vehicle used for the tour carries no personalised branding. It is the same “Nishchay Rath” previously used by Nitish Kumar during earlier political journeys.
Political observers say the yatra appears designed to project continuity with Nitish Kumar’s legacy while testing Nishant Kumar’s appeal among grassroots workers and voters. His decision to begin in Champaran — a region long associated with both Mahatma Gandhi and Nitish Kumar’s own political messaging — is likely to be read as a deliberate statement of intent.
