Nitish Kumar's son Nishant can save JD(U) by joining politics: Tejashwi Yadav

PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Saturday said he would be happy if Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's son, Nishant, entered politics. "If he joins politics, it would ‘save' JD(U) from the BJP and other alliance partners. He is like my brother. I will also advise him to get married soon," said the leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly. His remarks came in response to Nishant's statement on Friday, in which he asserted that his father, Nitish, was "100% fit" and urged people to vote for the NDA to retain him as CM so he could continue the state's development.
Nishant's comments sparked speculation about his possible entry into politics and a potential candidacy in the upcoming assembly election from Harnaut in Nalanda district, Nitish's home turf. A poster was even put up outside the JD(U) office in Patna with the slogan – "Bihar kare pukar, aiye Nishant Kumar" (Bihar is calling, come Nishant Kumar).
"Nishant is like my brother. I wish him all the best. I would also like him to get married. If he decides to enter politics, he has the right to do so," Tejashwi said.
"I would, in fact, be happy if he joins politics. Perhaps it would give a new lease of life to JD(U). Nitishji has been hijacked by PM Narendra Modi, who once questioned his DNA. His other allies, Union ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi, both have their own grievances against Nitish. Until recently, all these allies were questioning Nitish's mental health," Tejashwi added.
Earlier in the day, NDA partners, including Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and Rajya Sabha member Upendra Kushwaha, expressed their support for Nishant's entry into politics. "Doctor ka beta doctor bane to achcha... Rajniti mein mukhyamantri Nitish Kumar ji ke putra Nishant ka swagat hai. HAM Nishant ke sath hai," HAM(S) founder Manjhi posted on X.
Tejashwi, son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, again raised concerns about Nitish's health and mocked Nishant's call for voters to re-elect his father, claiming the JD(U) chief was "100 per cent fit".
Responding to JD(U) spokesman Neeraj Kumar, who had questioned him about his own father's health, Tejashwi said, "My father is fitter than his father." He added that nobody had done as much for the downtrodden as Lalu.
Another JD(U) spokesperson, Arvind Nishad, dismissed Tejashwi's comments. "Tejashwi need not advise Nishant on joining politics. He is an engineering graduate, unlike Tejashwi, whose identity is solely that of Lalu Prasad's son. As for Nishant's marriage, Tejashwi should first advise his elder brother, Tej Pratap Yadav," Nishad said.
Asked about minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary's assertion that the NDA was ready for elections at any time, Tejashwi said, "I wonder if they have some sort of arrangement with the Election Commission, which, like the ED and CBI, has started functioning as an instrument of the BJP at the Centre."
He added that the opposition was always battle-ready, having contested the 2020 elections even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Regarding PM Modi's upcoming rally in Bhagalpur, Tejashwi said, "Now they will rush to Bihar after Delhi. They do not care about the state but are only concerned about staying in power."