2 min readPatnaJun 22, 2026 05:30 AM ISTBihar Health Minister Nishant Kumar (File Photo)As the JD (U) completed the formality of endorsing former CM Nitish Kumar as its national president on Sunday, all top party leaders declared with voice vote that Bihar health minister and Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar was the “future of the party”.The party held meetings of its state and national councils to complete the procedure of endorsing its state president Umesh Kushwaha and national president Nitish Kumar on Sunday. The meetings were attended by JD (U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, Union minister and JD (U) MP Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Deputy CMs Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Choudhary, JD (U) leader in the Assembly Shravan Kumar, and health minister Nishant Kumar. Nitish Kumar, however, attended only the national council meet.Jha told The Indian Express: “I have clearly said in the party meeting, in the presence of our national president Nitish Kumar, that Nishant Kumar is the future of the party. I also reiterated that Nishant was allowed to join politics only after Nitish Kumar decided to quit as Bihar CM and took to national politics. We are amply clear that the future generation has to take the party forward now and Nishant alone is the future of the party and would carry forward the legacy of his illustrious father.”Lalan Singh and Shravan Kumar, also a minister in the Bihar government, echoed similar sentiments at the party forum. This was the first key meeting of the Janata Dal (United) after Nitish Kumar quit as Bihar CM around two months ago.‘Legacy of Nitish Kumar’For his part, Nishant Kumar said: “We have to work hard on ground to carry forward the legacy of Nitish Kumar. I thank all party leaders and workers for giving me some important role to play.”A senior JD (U) source said: “The biggest takeaway of the party meeting is the clear endorsement of Nishant Kumar as its future leader. The fact that the message went out from the highest party forum in the presence of Nitish Kumar sent a clear message to the rank and file.”© The Indian Express Pvt LtdSantosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. Expertise He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More Tags:JD(U)Nitish KumarAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Advertisement