Is JD-U About To Become Janata Dal Nitish?

JD-U leaders have backed a proposal to rename the party Janata Dal Nitish, putting Nitish Kumar's political legacy at the centre of the party's identity.

A day after Janata Dal-United Working President Sanjay Kumar Jha proposed to rename the party as Janata Dal Nitish, two senior party leaders Vijendar Yadav and Sarvan Kumar have supported the move to rename the party after its undisputed supremo Nitish Kumar, who had served Bihar's chief minister for nearly 20 years.

Jha, a Rajya Sabha MP and former Bihar minister, has appealed to party leaders to rename the JD-U as Janata Dal Nitish.

On Friday, two senior JD-U leaders Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijendar Yadav and Bihar Minister Sarvan Kumar supported Jha's appeal to rename the party as Janata Dal Nitish.

Vijendar Yadav and Sarvan Kumar are considered close to Nitish Kumar. 'We have to consider the appeal to rename the party, it is a good move,' Vijendar Yadav said.

'Our party has been running in the name of Nitish Kumar, who is our leader,' Sarvan Kumar said. 'The party will decide unanimously to rename the party sooner than later.'

Final Decision Rests with Nitish Kumar

JD-U leader Neeraj Kumar said the final decision will be taken by Nitish Kumar, who is the party's national president. 'If he says yes the party will rename itself.'

The Janata Dal-United was formed in 2003 and came to power in 2005 along with the Bharatiya Janata Party. It remains a BJP ally, but is a junior partner in the current National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar.

In March Nitish Kumar resigned as chief minister after he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. The BJP chose Samrat Chaudhary to become the party's first chief minister in Bihar on April 15.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff