JD(U): Nitish to lead NDA in assembly polls next year | Patna News – Times of India
Patna/New Delhi: Union minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh on Tuesday said the NDA would contest the 2025 Bihar assembly elections under the leadership of chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Singh, who serves as the minister for fisheries, animal husbandry & dairying and panchayati raj, said, “It is absolutely clear that the NDA will fight the 2025 assembly elections in Bihar only under the leadership of Nitish. Nitish has already begun his statewide yatra, which started from Bettiah in West Champaran on Monday.”
The remarks were made against the backdrop of JD(U)’s social media activity, which included the posting of three different slogans in just 48 hours. The speculation intensified after a poster appeared on Sunday that read, “Jab baat Bihar ki ho, naam sirf Nitish Kumar ka ho,” (When it’s about Bihar, the name is only Nitish Kumar). This was followed by another slogan, “2025 fir se Nitish,” highlighting Nitish’s leadership, development of Bihar, job creation and social security guarantees.
The controversy peaked on Tuesday when JD(U) posted a new poster featuring both Nitish and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by the message, “Ekjut NDA, Ekjut Bihar; 2025 me fir se Nitish,” signalling unity within the NDA and reinforcing Kumar’s leadership for the 2025 elections.
In response to questions about the varying slogans, JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “There is no difference in the messaging. Every party promotes its leader and that’s what we are doing. Nitish in 2025 is the NDA’s decision.”
The JD(U)’s posters surfaced amid growing uncertainty over who would lead the NDA’s campaign in Bihar, particularly after statements from BJP functionaries.
In a related development, the JD(U) also defended BJP president J P Nadda, accusing Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal of disrespecting people from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. At a press conference, Singh and JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha shared a video from Kejriwal’s past remarks, in which he referred to people of Bihar travelling to Delhi for medical treatment as an example of economic strain. Singh described these remarks as showing “contempt” for people from Bihar and Jha vowed to launch a campaign focusing on the video during the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.
“Kejriwal has shown disdain for people from Bihar and Purvanchal, especially during the Covid crisis when his govt failed to provide food for the poor and sent them packing at the Uttar Pradesh border,” Jha said. “People from Bihar and Purvanchal have suffered the most under his governance,” he added.
Jha criticised Kejriwal, describing him as an “opportunist and hypocrite” who abandoned social activist Anna Hazare after using him to rise to political prominence. Singh echoed Jha’s sentiments, describing Kejriwal’s actions as “shameful” and accusing him of using the suffering of people from Bihar and Purvanchal for political gain while neglecting their welfare.
(With inputs from New Delhi Bureau)
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Singh, who serves as the minister for fisheries, animal husbandry & dairying and panchayati raj, said, “It is absolutely clear that the NDA will fight the 2025 assembly elections in Bihar only under the leadership of Nitish. Nitish has already begun his statewide yatra, which started from Bettiah in West Champaran on Monday.”
The remarks were made against the backdrop of JD(U)’s social media activity, which included the posting of three different slogans in just 48 hours. The speculation intensified after a poster appeared on Sunday that read, “Jab baat Bihar ki ho, naam sirf Nitish Kumar ka ho,” (When it’s about Bihar, the name is only Nitish Kumar). This was followed by another slogan, “2025 fir se Nitish,” highlighting Nitish’s leadership, development of Bihar, job creation and social security guarantees.
The controversy peaked on Tuesday when JD(U) posted a new poster featuring both Nitish and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by the message, “Ekjut NDA, Ekjut Bihar; 2025 me fir se Nitish,” signalling unity within the NDA and reinforcing Kumar’s leadership for the 2025 elections.
In response to questions about the varying slogans, JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “There is no difference in the messaging. Every party promotes its leader and that’s what we are doing. Nitish in 2025 is the NDA’s decision.”
The JD(U)’s posters surfaced amid growing uncertainty over who would lead the NDA’s campaign in Bihar, particularly after statements from BJP functionaries.
In a related development, the JD(U) also defended BJP president J P Nadda, accusing Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal of disrespecting people from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. At a press conference, Singh and JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha shared a video from Kejriwal’s past remarks, in which he referred to people of Bihar travelling to Delhi for medical treatment as an example of economic strain. Singh described these remarks as showing “contempt” for people from Bihar and Jha vowed to launch a campaign focusing on the video during the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.
“Kejriwal has shown disdain for people from Bihar and Purvanchal, especially during the Covid crisis when his govt failed to provide food for the poor and sent them packing at the Uttar Pradesh border,” Jha said. “People from Bihar and Purvanchal have suffered the most under his governance,” he added.
Jha criticised Kejriwal, describing him as an “opportunist and hypocrite” who abandoned social activist Anna Hazare after using him to rise to political prominence. Singh echoed Jha’s sentiments, describing Kejriwal’s actions as “shameful” and accusing him of using the suffering of people from Bihar and Purvanchal for political gain while neglecting their welfare.
(With inputs from New Delhi Bureau)
