Why Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant declined Bihar deputy CM’s post
New Delhi: Putting to rest all speculation on JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar becoming the deputy chief minister of Bihar, senior JD(U) leaders Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Yadav took oath along with BJP’s Samrat Choudhary Wednesday.
According to JD(U) sources, the party tried to persuade Nishant Kumar to become the deputy chief minister, but he refused. Instead, Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Chaudhary have been designated deputy chief ministers of new Bihar govt.
“Party leaders tried their best until late night to persuade him but he refused. His logic is that he has yet to gain the requisite experience for such a task, which is why he will spend more time with party workers and the public to decide on the future course of action. Within the party, a section feels he should have taken the position to keep Nitish Kumar-ji’s legacy alive,” said a senior party leader.
Sources further said that Nishant (44) has conveyed to the party that he is unlikely to accept any position for the next six months. Nishant took the political plunge last month when he officially joined the JD(U). His father, Nitish Kumar, was not present during his joining.
One party leader said that both Nitish and Nishant have always opposed dynastic politics, which is why Nishant wants to “earn” the position and trust of the people.
“By not joining the cabinet, they have shut down any criticism regarding dynasticy politics. This is the same argument we use against Lalu Yadav and the Gandhis, so taking the position made no sense. Not only is it good optics, but it will also allow Nishant to work at the grassroots level and gain a better understanding of how to run the government,” said another leader.
“Nishant joined Bihar politics only after his father decided to shift to the Rajya Sabha. He wants to focus on strengthening the party, especially now Nitish has shifted to Delhi,” he added.
The BJP had been keen on a change of guard in Bihar as early as possible. Last year, the JD(U) and the BJP contested an equal number of seats in the Bihar elections—sending the message that neither would play ‘big brother’. The BJP finally managed to get its first chief minister in the state with Kumar’s shift to the Rajya Sabha.
Speaking to ThePrint, JD(U) spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said: “Nishant-ji will be actively involved in party affairs. He will engage in dialogue with people and party workers. What he intends to do next is something that he will decide.”
Experts point out that with the BJP getting its first chief minister in Bihar, it will now focus on introducing “BJP culture” in the state.
A source painted a slightly different picture. He said there were multiple factions within the JD(U) currently; while one faction was pushing Nishant Kumar to at least become the deputy chief minister, the other faction prevailed.
“The other faction is under the control of the BJP. After getting full control and its own chief minister, the BJP will now want to work according to its own culture which it has been following in other states,” he added.
A JD(U) MLA said the party was facing a “crisis”, and Nitish Kumar’s shift to the Centre—even though he promised continued support and guidance—has demotivated many workers.
“Had Nishant become deputy CM from the JDU’s side, the party would definitely have become stronger and the workers would have been motivated. It would have also allowed Nishant to learn the tricks of the trade, and over time, he would have gained some popularity at least. The BJP naturally wants no competition, and the larger plan seems to be to merge the JDU into BJP,” explained another JD(U) leader.
Experts point out that the BJP has finally succeeded in installing its own chief minister for the first time in Bihar, and it will ensure that the government is “run by the Centre”.
Speaking to ThePrint, Dr Ravindra Kumar Verma, a retired associate professor of political science at B. R. A. Bihar University (BRABU), Muzaffarpur, said that had Nishant been part of the cabinet, the legacy of Nitish Kumar would have remained alive, something the BJP does not want.
“At one level, Nishant himself seemed reluctant about joining active politics and even now doesn’t seem too enthusiastic. At the same time, had he been part of the cabinet, Nitish ki legacy jeevit rehti (Nitish’s legacy would have stayed alive). It could be that the BJP doesn’t want that,” he said.
The logic that Nishant will gain relevant experience within six months and then join the government, he says, does not seem logical.
“What will happen in the next six months, no one can tell… how strong or weak the JD(U) will become, it’s difficult to ascertain. My understanding is that a new political culture, akin to the culture followed by BJP nationally, will develop in Bihar now,” he said.
“In all other states where the BJP announced its chief minister, fresh faces were given a chance, something we did not see in Bihar. Bihar will now be run at one level by the Centre. In Uttar Pradesh, they have the bulldozer baba, and maybe in Bihar under Samrat, they want a more aggressive chief minister,” he added.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: End of an era in Bihar: From ‘sushasan babu’ to ‘paltu ram’, the many faces of Nitish Kumar’s legacy
