Nitish's Son Set For Political Plunge?

All eyes are on the JD-U's national executive meeting on June 29 in New Delhi, where a decision in this regard may be taken.

Though Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is also the Janata Dal-United president, is against 'parivaarvad' (dynasty) in politics, speculation grows daily in political circles in Patna that his only child Nishant Kumar will enter politics soon.

All eyes are on the JD-U's national executive meeting on June 29 in New Delhi, where a decision in this regard may be taken.

Nishant, who is in his early 40s, is a non controversial figure. Like his father, Nishant also trained as an engineer.

"We are expecting something big will happen in the party's national executive meeting in Delhi like the last meeting six months ago when Nitish Kumar replaced Lalan Singh as JD-U president. Nishant can be promoted as a young leader to lead the party," says a JD-U leader, speaking on condition that he would not be named in this report.

JD-U leaders like Vidhanand Vikal and Rana Randhir Singh have demanded in recent days that Nishant be brought into politics to strengthen the party.

According to them, young leadership is the need of the hour for the state and the party and Nishant has all the qualities to prove it if given an opportunity.

Nishant has stayed away from politics despite his father being in power in Bihar since 2005, except a few months in 2014 when Jitan Ram Manjhi was made CM.

Nitish Kumar takes pride to claim that no one from his family is in politics like other leaders.

A few years ago Nishant said that he has no interest in politics and would never join politics.

If Nishant indeed joins politics, he will follow the path of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).

Tejashwi and Chirag represent the established political families of Lalu Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan in Bihar.

Lalu's sons Tejpratap Yadav and Tejashwi, daughters Misa Bharti and Rohini Acharya, and wife Rabri Devi, a former CM, are in politics.

Chirag's brother-in-law Arun Bharti, who won the Jamui Lok Sabha seat this election, and his estranged uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras and cousin Prince Raj are also in politics.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com