Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to be unanimously elected national president of the Janata Dal (United) during the party’s national executive meet in New Delhi on Sunday with incumbent president Sharad Yadav refusing to retain the office for the fourth consecutive term.
Nitish will take over the reins of the party at a time when the JD(U) is trying to expand in other States. Two regional parties — the Rashtriya lok Dal (RlD) of Ajit Singh and the Jharkhand Vikas Party (JVP) of Babulal Marandi — have almost decided to merge with the JD(U).
There is also a strong possibility that Nitish will be the head of the expanded party which might be known as the Jana Vikas Party while Ajit Singh could be chairman of the new party’s parliamentary board.
After the formal announcement of the name of JD(U) president, the decision will be ratified at the party’s national council meeting to be held in Patna on April 23 and 24.
The party president’s election, as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI), has to be rectified by the national council of the party. A few days back, senior leaders of JD(U) KC Tyagi and RCP Singh met the officials of the ECI in New Delhi. “The new president will be selected at the national executive meeting on April 10,” said Tyagi.
The senior leaders of the party are not going on record to name Nitish as the next president. However, Bihar JD(U) chief Bashistha Narain Singh admitted that with Nitish heading the JD(U) it will be beneficial for the party as well as the country. The party, he added, needed a respectable and acceptable face and Nitish has great leadership quality, wisdom and ability to take on the Opposition.
After the formal merger of the RJD, Nitish is likely to script strategy for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls falling next year. But his ally in Bihar, the RJD is unlikely to have any alliance with this unity, as asserted by RJD boss lalu Prasad.
On the other hand lalu’s wife and former CM Rabri Devi has welcomed the move of the merger of two parties in JD(U) and said there was nothing wrong in JD(U)’s expansion plan and to enter national politics.
“Nitish is trying to raise a big front against the BJP and this is a welcome initiative,” she said, but feigned ignorance about involvement of the RJD in this move.
A day prior to his election as party president, Nitish will be conferred the “Veermani Samman” on Saturday. The award will be given by Periar International Organization for his pioneering work for social justice. Those given this award in the past include, VP Singh, Sitaram Kesri, Mayawati and M Karunanidhi.