Months before the general elections, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has taken control of the Janata Dal (United), with the party disclosing that he will spearhead discussions on seat-sharing with the 28-party INDIA bloc. Additionally, starting from January, he is set to embark on a nationwide campaign.

After Member of Parliament Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lalan Singh, resigned from the post, ending days of speculation about his growing proximity to ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was named the party chief during a meeting of top leaders. Subsequently, Kumar's appointment received endorsement from the party's national council.

Accepting the responsibility, Kumar expressed, "We will work together," during a brief media interaction.

Senior JD(U) leader KC Tyagi disclosed that the party approved four proposals. These include supporting the call for a national caste census, empowering Kumar to engage in negotiations with allies within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), initiating a nationwide campaign starting with Jharkhand from January, and granting Kumar full authority for organizational restructuring.

Tyagi stated, "Nitish Kumar is designated as the convener and the prime ministerial candidate for the ideas of the INDIA alliance." He added that the Chief Minister has not yet decided whether he will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

These remarks come amidst reports suggesting Nitish's discontent following the proposal of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge as the group's prime ministerial face in a meeting earlier this month. Nitish subsequently refuted claims of any dissatisfaction on his part.

Months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Nitish Kumar takes charge of JD(U) amid intensified INDIA bloc seat-sharing talks. Facing internal rift speculations, JD(U) aims to retain its electoral standing after a recent dip. Kumar's elevation aims to consolidate power, address factionalism, and signal leadership stability, emphasizing a non-adversarial approach toward the BJP.

Lalan Singh announced his resignation from the party post in his presidential speech at the national executive meeting. This marks Kumar's third stint as party chief. The JD(U) national executive unanimously requested Kumar to reassume leadership in the party and the nation's broader interest.

Bihar minister Vijay Kumar Chowdhary stated that Singh resigned, citing his 2024 national poll candidature. No bitterness was reported between Singh and Kumar. Speculation surrounded Singh's departure, hinting at coordination issues within the INDIA bloc and growing closeness to Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.

BJP Bihar president Samrat Chowdhary clarified that Nitish Kumar's association is an internal matter for JD(U), stating, "There are no discussions (about Kumar joining NDA)." Former AN Sinha Institute director DM Diwakar noted that this move dispels merger speculations with RJD, anticipating an increased seat-sharing bargaining power for JD(U).

Image source: TOI