Nishant projected as JD(U)’s future leader as Nitish gets fifth time

Patna: The JD(U) on Sunday formally signalled a generational shift in the party with senior functionaries projecting Nishant Kumar as its future leader even as the national council ratified Nitish Kumar’s re-election as national president for the fifth time.At the JD(U)’s state council and national council meetings held in Patna, the party functionaries endorsed Nishant for a larger role in the organisation and expressed confidence in his ability to carry forward Nitish’s political legacy and developmental agenda.JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha said Nishant’s growing involvement in party affairs had generated fresh enthusiasm among workers. “The biggest quality of Nishant is that he speaks less and works more and owing to this work style, in the coming times he will emerge as the brightest star on the horizon of Bihar politics,” Jha said.JD(U) national spokesman Rajeev Ranjan Prasad, briefing reporters after the national council meeting, said Jha told party delegates that Nishant would be the “future leader of the JD(U) for the next three to four decades”. Prasad said the national council unanimously resolved that the party would work to become stronger and more people-oriented under Nishant’s leadership.Rural works department minister Sunil Kumar said the state council meeting unanimously accepted Nishant as the party’s future leader.

He said Nishant was already an active member of the organisation and that the council resolved he should be entrusted with a bigger role in the party.Rural development minister Shravan Kumar said Nishant’s entry into active politics had infused new hope among lakhs of party workers. Union minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh said there was complete unanimity within the party that Nishant would carry forward Nitish’s developmental legacy.Responding to the endorsement by senior functionaries, Nishant said Nitish had carried out historic work across Bihar during the past two decades. Referring to initiatives related to women’s empowerment, education, health and the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali campaign, he said the state had received new models of development under Nitish’s leadership.“The JD(U) will become Bihar’s number one party,” Nishant said while urging workers to strengthen the resolve of building a new and empowered Bihar under Nitish’s leadership and guidance.The national council also praised Nitish for ensuring a smooth transition of power in Bihar and ratified his re-election as national president in the organisational polls held earlier this year. The council authorised him to make necessary amendments to the party constitution and approved the setting up of a trust to manage the party’s movable and immovable assets.This is the first time Nitish has held the party’s top organisational post while not serving as chief minister. Earlier in the day, the state council ratified the re-election of JD(U)’s Bihar president Umesh Singh Kushwaha, MLA from Mahnar, for a third consecutive term.