JD(U) netas may push to defer Nitish’s resignation as CM

Patna: Speculation is running high that a section of JD(U) leaders wants to delay the resignation of Nitish as the CM as long as possible to prepare the ground for his son Nishant Kumar, who joined active politics last month.However, BJP is confident of making its own CM for the first time in a “shubh mahurat” after April 14 when the ‘inauspicious month of kharmas’ ends.While talking to TOI on Wednesday, JD(U) MLA from Islampur, Ruhail Ranjan, minced no words when he said Nishant is the obvious choice to step into his father’s shoes as the Bihar CM.“People’s mandate is for 2025 se 30 phir se Nitish. Since Nitish has decided to go to the Rajya Sabha, the next CM should be from JD(U) itself.

Even in numbers, there is no big difference between BJP’s 89 and JD(U)’s 85 MLAs. ‘Barabar hin maniye’ (consider the number of MLAs on both sides as almost the same),” said Ruhail, who was among those 14 young JD(U) MLAs with whom Nishant had his meeting at the residence of party working president Sanjay Kumar Jha a day before formally taking the plunge into active politics in March first week.BJP spokesperson Guru Prakash said all the five NDA partners will sit together and take a collective decision on the next CM.

JD(U) spokesperson and MLC, Neeraj Kumar, also said the party rank and file have accepted Nishant as their unanimous leader. “Nishant has proved his potential as a leader in less than a month of his joining active politics. Nishant has shattered the myth of being a VIP by the way he has participated in Eid festivities as well as Ganga aarti and has been taking feedback from party workers,” he said.When specifically asked whether JD(U) wants Nishant as the next CM, Neeraj said the decision has to be taken by CM Nitish, who is also the party national president.

“Nitish takes the final decision, but he always acts in a democratic way in his party by holding discussions with senior leaders and taking feedback from the party workers at the grassroots level,” he said.Nitish may take oath on or after April 10. Though he can continue as the CM for a little while more, those who know Nitish rule out such possibilities.Nishant on Wednesday posted on X that he is proud to be the son of that great man, who transformed a dilapidated Bihar into a prosperous state; who brought light to every home across a state once shrouded in darkness.

“I bow time and again to my father’s resolve and steely determination for the reconstruction of this New Bihar,” he summed up.Amid this scenario, the new financial year has started amid policy paralysis in Bihar. Since no cabinet meeting has been convened after Feb 20. CM Nitish Kumar’s decision to go to the Rajya Sabha has stalled decision-making and ground-level governance. The state bureaucracy is in a wait and watch mode till the next Bihar CM takes oath.