Patna, June 21 -- The JD(U) on Sunday lauded its national president Nitish Kumar for "setting an example of smooth power transition" in Bihar and asserted that it now saw its "future" in the former chief minister's son Nishant. This was stated at a press conference addressed by JD(U) national spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad after the meeting of the party's national council, which followed the state council meeting held earlier in the day.
Prasad said that the national council ratified the re-election of Kumar as national president, in organisational polls held earlier this year, and also "authorised" him to set up a trust for managing "movable and immovable assets of the party".
"The party was unanimous in its praise for Nitish Kumar, who has set an example of smooth power transition in Bihar. His relinquishing the post of CM was an instance of political probity and credibility", said the JD(U) spokesman.
Notably, Kumar, who had been the state's longest-serving chief minister, announced the decision to step down in March, days after celebrating his 75th birthday, and gave up the post a month later, after getting elected to the Rajya Sabha.
The JD(U) supremo, whose move was initially viewed with consternation by party colleagues, received a rousing welcome upon arrival for the meeting, in what was seen as a sense of renewed hope among the cadres, who were excited at Nishant's entry into active politics. Nishant told reporters after the party meeting, "The party's faith in me has put a huge responsibility on my shoulders. But I must carry forward the legacy of my father".
"Nitish Kumar made way for power transition months after the assembly polls in which the JD(U) won 85 seats with its best ever strike rate", Prasad pointed out.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.