Calls for Nitish's son to join politics grow stronger within JD-U

Notwithstanding the indifference of the Bihar CM's son to politics, partymen want him to 'take forward his father's legacy'.

With two sons of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav serving as ministers in the Bihar cabinet, the demand that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son Nishant should join politics is growing within the Janata Dal-United fold.

Several JD-U workers want Nishant to join the party and 'take forward his father's legacy'. However, Nishant has made it clear several times that he has no interest in politics like the children of other prominent politicians of the state.  

So far, the JD-U workers were not very vocal about their wish to see Nishant in politics. But the New Year has brought a new political development in Bihar where several JD-U workers, led by Munna Siddiqui, openly demanded that Nishant succeed his father. They also raised slogans in favour of Nishant and Nitish Kumar during their recent visit to their native village in Nalanda.

Party worker Amrender Singh said that Nishant has all the qualities of his father and 'only he can take forward the legacy of Nitish Kumar'.

Bihar minister Sharvan Kumar, who hails from Nalanda and is considered close to Nitish, also supported the demand of JD-U workers. "What is wrong in it? Nishant is young and energetic. He should contribute to the development of Bihar by joining politics," he said.

In November last year, after the Grand Alliance of JD-U, RJD and Congress won the Bihar assembly polls and Nitish was sworn-in as chief minister for the fifth time, Nishant told rediff.com that he has no plans to join politics.

But with JD-U workers making the demand public for the first time, it is likely to give a new twist to the politics of the state in the coming days.

A senior JD-U leader said that Nishant joining politics cannot be ruled out as 'politics is in his blood'. Nishant's grandfather was a Congress leader and a freedom fighter.

According to JD-U leaders close to Nitish, Nishant, who is also an engineer like his father, is tech-savvy and a foodie. He likes to visit temples and other religious and spiritual places.

Sons and daughters of most of the top politicians of Bihar are active in politics; only Nishant is an exception.

Lalu Prasad's two sons -- Tej Pratap and Tejaswi -- are ministers in the state cabinet. While the younger Tejaswi, 26, is deputy chief minister, Tej Pratap, 28, is the health minister.

Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti is also active in politics and unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Patliputra seat. But there are rumours that Misa will be nominated to the Rajya Sabha this year.

Chirag Paswan, son of Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, is also an MP from his father's Lok Janshakti Party, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre.

Image: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar addressing a rally in the state. Photograph: @NitishKumar/Twitter