Political leap? Message to BJP? Why is Nishant repeatedly batting for father Nitish?

In a span of only three days, Nishant Kumar, the low-profile only son of long-serving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has asserted twice in public — on August 18 and 20 — that he is confident that his father will become the chief minister once again.

While it is hardly surprising for a son to bat for his father in a poll-bound state, Nishant largely remains out of politics and is rarely seen in public. However, in recent months, amid Nitish’s failing health, he is being projected as the political heir of his father’s legacy.

Though this is not the first time that he has made such a remark in public in favour of his father, what is significant is Nishant’s sudden activism barely two months before the Bihar assembly election (October-November).

Eyeing a political entry?

Nishant is trying to set a narrative around Nitish as the next chief minister at a time when the NDA hasn’t explicitly declared his father’s candidature. “The NDA will contest elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and, after the victory of NDA, Nitish Kumar will once again become chief minister,” Nishant has reiterated.

Nishant, till last year, preferred to remain away from the limelight, following the path of “spiritualism”, as he claimed repeatedly. Now, he appears to be slowly venturing towards politics.

Early this week, a calm and confident Nishant stated that his father had worked hard for the development of Bihar, especially by building roads and providing electricity connections and improving infrastructure for health and education. He claimed that Nitish had worked for the empowerment of women and marginalised sections over the past 20 years as chief minister.

Nishant’s statement strengthens the ongoing speculation in Bihar’s political circles that he might join the JD(U) either before the polls or after. Nishant, of late, has been frequently interacting with the media and reacting on various issues, including Opposition protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s just-concluded Voter Adhikar Yatra. He has also started praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Also read: Will Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant enter politics?

Lack of successor

“The repeated statements by Nishant Kumar on the state of affairs in Bihar exposes the lack of successor to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,” said Patna-based political analyst Soroor Ahmad. “The ruling NDA is struggling to come up with any credible face to replace Nitish after the elections. The problem with both JD(U) and BJP is that they have no popular chief ministerial candidate to counter Opposition candidate Tejashwi Yadav, who is emerging as an alternative. But Nishant’s appearance has come too late,” he added.

A senior JD(U) leader said that though Nishant is yet to formally join politics, he is playing the development card for his father (Nitish), a seasoned politician, who is probably facing the last electoral challenge of his political career. “Nishant is very calculative and articulate, unlike many politicians. His USP is that he is the son of Nitish Kumar and seen as a potential leader for the JD(U),” the leader claimed.

Since the “Mandal politics” of the 1990s, Bihar has been dominated by three leaders — RJD chief Lalu Prasad, JD(U)president Nitish Kumar, and former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Lalu’s political legacy has been taken over by his younger son Tejashwi Tadav, who is currently Leader of opposition. Following Paswan’s death in 2020, his only son Chirag Paswan has been heading the LJP(R). He is also a Union minister. But in the case of Nitish, there is still a dilemma over who will take forward his political legacy. Will Nishant take the challenge?

So far, Nishant has refrained from giving any direct answers. “It will not be a surprise if Nishant joins the campaign for the next assembly polls,” said a JD(U) leader.

Is Nishant voice of JD(U)?

In the past eight months, Nishant has repeatedly claimed that Nitish should continue as the chief minister, fuelling speculations about his political entry. In January, he appealed to voters, seeking their support to bring Nitish back to power.

Then, in February, he demanded that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) declare his father as its chief ministerial candidate. Again, in April, he asserted that there was no confusion that his father would be the next chief minister.

JD(U) sources claimed the party was using Nishant to send a message to the BJP.

Though the election dates are likely to be announced in September, Nishant has been seeking electoral support and votes, mainly from the youth, for his “Pitaji” (father), based on his “development works”.

Also read: Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant ‘ready’ for politics in poll-bound Bihar; who is he?

High demand for Nishant in JD(U)

Some JD(U) leaders indeed believe that Nishant is the party’s next hope. With 74-year-old Nitish’s failing health under lens, the chorus has only grown louder.

Recently, colourful banners and posters featuring Nishant along with Nitish came up outside the JD(U) state headquarters and other places in Patna, demanding his anointment. Slogans such as “Karkartayon ki maang / Chunav lade Nishant, Bihar ki maang / Sun liye Nishant” (Party cadres’ demand is that Nishant should fight the polls, Nishant has heard what Bihar wants) have become common in posters outside the JD(U) office.

Sources in the JD(U) told The Federal that “a powerful section in the party is openly lobbying for Nishant so that he emerges as Nitish Kumar’s political heir”. In early August, a senior minister, Ashok Choudhary, considered close to Nitish Kumar, publicly favoured Nishant’s political entry.

Some JD(U) leaders, including party MPs and MLAs, have urged Nishant to contest the upcoming assembly polls from Ashthawa and Harnaut seats in Nalanda, the home district of Nitish and considered his stronghold.

A few JD(U) leaders fear a split in the party if Nishant does not come forward to lead the party. One such leader is the controversial MLA Gopal Mandal.

Survival of JD(U)

DM Diwakar, a Bihar-based political analyst, said Nitish must be aware of the challenge to save his party if he fails to become the chief minister again. “Nishant’s entry into politics has the potential to keep his party united and ensure its survival, as the BJP is aiming to take over the party if his health deteriorates further. Many top JD(U) leaders are reportedly keen on a merger with the BJP,” he said.

Diwakar, a former director of the AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna, said Nitish never groomed a second line of leaders in the party and has, in the past, cut to size some of his close confidants who showed potential. “The problem with a leader like Nitish is that he never encouraged and promoted anyone to succeed him. This was bound to create a crisis sooner or later,” he added, saying that there is a divide in the party too.

Nishant, who is in his late 40s, is a non-controversial figure. He loves music, mainly devotional songs. Like his father, Nishant also trained as an engineer and has a BTech degree in Computer Science. He is single and lives with his father in the latter’s official residence in Patna following the death of his mother Manju Sinha in 2007.

Also read: Amit Shah says 'papa' will continue as CM of Bihar: Nitish's son

BJP’s reluctance

The JD(U) has asserted time and again that there will be no compromise on Nitish Kumar’s name as the NDA’s chief ministerial candidate for the Bihar assembly elections — particularly after senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that it had not been decided who would be the NDA’s CM face for the Bihar assembly elections.

Significantly, Shah said this in reply to a question on whether Nitish would be the chief ministerial candidate or whether the BJP would adopt a strategy similar to Maharashtra, where it changed the chief minister after the election outcome. Therefore, the BJP top leadership is evidently hesitant to declare Nitish as the NDA’s chief ministerial candidate for the Bihar assembly election.

However, top BJP leaders, including Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have repeatedly stated that the NDA will go to polls in Bihar under Nitish’s leadership, as both understand his value despite his deteriorating health and drastic fall in popularity. Yet, both have refrained from saying anything about Nitish’s candidature even though Modi has visited Bihar seven times this year and Shah three times.

It is for the first time in two-and-a-half decades that the BJP is reluctant to announce Nitish as the NDA’s CM face in Bihar. The Opposition Mahagathbandhan, including RJD, Congress, and Left parties, claims that the BJP will sideline Nitish after the polls even if the NDA is elected to power.

Nitish loyalists are, however, putting up a brave face. “One thing is certain: the chief minister’s chair is reserved for Nitish Kumar, who is the most experienced, suitable and capable face. Nitish Kumar will be chief minister from 2025 to 2030. There is no question on that,” said senior JD(U) leader and former minister Neeraj Kumar.

All eyes on Nitish

But the big question is whether Nitish will promote his son, especially since he claims to be against parivaarvad (dynasty) in politics. So far, Nishant, too, has stayed away from politics despite his father being in power in Bihar since 2005.

Three Bihar ministers and senior JD (U) leaders — Sharvan Kumar, Vijay Kumar Choudhary, and Ashok Choudhary — made it clear that final decision is in the hands of Nitish. And Nitish is no in mood to take any risks until the polls are over.

“He is very careful. He knows more than anyone else that Nishant’s entry into politics will dilute his main weapon of dynastic politics charge against the rival camp led by Lalu and Tejashwi. Nitish has been delaying Nishant’s entry into politics till the election is over,” said a political observer.

Interestingly, RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi, Tejashwi, and Chirag Paswan favour Nishant joining politics.