The Janata Dal (United) legislative party met at the residence of Nitish Kumar in Patna on Monday and unanimously authorised the former Bihar Chief Minister to choose the new leader of the party’s legislative wing.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, party chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said that all MLAs and MLCs attended the meeting and collectively empowered Nitish Kumar, who is also the party president, to select the new leader. The post fell vacant following his resignation as Chief Minister.
In the new NDA government led by Samrat Choudhary, senior JD(U) leaders Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav have been appointed as Deputy Chief Ministers.
No objections were raised over their appointment, as the decision had been taken by Nitish Kumar.
Drawing from this, party legislators agreed that authorising Nitish Kumar to choose the next leader would help avoid internal differences and keep the organisation united.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary is being seen as a strong contender for the leadership role, while Bijendra Prasad Yadav is also considered an option, though his chances are currently viewed as limited.
Neeraj Kumar also announced that Nitish Kumar will soon launch a public outreach programme, during which he will travel across the state to engage directly with people. The initiative aims to understand public opinion and shape the party’s future political direction.
He said, “Everything within the party is normal and there is no cause for concern. Nitish Kumar has assured that he will tour the entire state and establish direct communication with party workers and the public.”
Neeraj Kumar further said that there was no discussion regarding the future role of Nishant Kumar in the party, adding that the matter would be taken up at an appropriate time.