Patna: Speculations are rife in Bihar that the only son of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president who is known to be against "dynasty rule", could enter active politics.
Nishant Kumar has been a reclusive figure, seen in public with his father on rare occasions.
For the past few weeks, there have been murmurs that the 73-year-old leader could agree to "demands from within the party" that Nishant should formally join the JD(U), which lacks a second rung leadership that could take over from the supremo once he decides to hang the boots.
The speculations intensified on Monday, when Vidyanand Vikal, who is associated with the party and heads the State Food Commission, came out with a social media post.
“Bihar needs young leadership in the new political scenario. Nishant Kumar has all the requisite qualities. I share the view expressed by many JD(U) colleagues that he take the initiative and get active in politics,” Vikal wrote.
However, when questions were posed in this regard to Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, former state JD(U) president and one of the most influential ministers in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, he claimed the speculations were "baseless".
"I would also urge people in the party not to go public on this very sensitive issue, which has no basis but may create doubts in the minds of people,” said Chaudhary, who is known to have the eyes and the ears of the chief minister.
When reporters pointedly asked whether the topic has ever come up for discussion in his meetings with the CM, Chaudhary said, "What I have already stated is a sufficient reply to the question”.
Meanwhile, the JD(U), which has emerged as the second largest ally of BJP in Lok Sabha polls, is bracing for the national executive meeting scheduled in Delhi later this month.
A senior JD(U) functionary told PTI: "As per the party constitution, national executive meetings need to take place at regular intervals. Ideally, it should have been held in the beginning of June, but political developments may have come in the way."
"We are not expecting any major decision in the meeting,” said the functionary, who spoke on condition of anonymity.