PATNA, April 20 -- Janata Dal (United) legislators have authorised former chief minister Nitish Kumar to name a legislative party leader and deputy leader in the Vidhan Sabha, JD(U) spokesman and MLC Neeraj Kumar said on Monday.

His statement came after the JD(U) meeting at the residence of Kumar, who is also the national president of the party.

Kumar addressed the meeting of the legislative party at 1, Anney Marg, which is the official residence of the chief minister and which the JD(U) supremo, now a Rajya Sabha MP, had occupied for nearly two decades.

This was the first meeting since Kumar stepped down as CM and held significance due to the clamour within the JD(U) for important role of his son Nishant Kumar within the party and the...