Nitish Kumar To Retire? Upendra Kushwaha's Birthday Wish For CM's Son Sparks Rumours
Upendra Kushwaha's birthday wish to Nitish Kumar's son sparked controversy by suggesting Nitish should retire and transition leadership within JD(U) to avoid "irreparable damage".
A birthday message has stirred up a storm in Bihar's political circles. The occasion was the birthday of Nishant Kumar, son of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The stage: Upendra Kushwaha's X account. While the former Union Minister wished Nishant a happy birthday, he also took the opportunity to drop a pointed suggestion — one that's being read as a veiled call for Nitish's retirement.
Kushwaha fell out with Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav and formed the Rashtriya Lok Morcha in 2023. However, he is still a part of the NDA.
'Birthday Wish' Or Hint At Retirement?
Kushwaha didn't mince words. In his post, he wrote: "Please accept the reality that it is no longer appropriate for you to personally manage both the government and the party."
He followed it up with a sharper remark, calling for a leadership transition within the JD(U), warning that any delay could cause "irreparable damage." Kushwaha also described Nishant as "a new ray of hope" for the party, subtly nudging the question: Is JD(U) grooming its next face?
मीडिया/सोशल मीडिया से जानकारी मिली है कि आज बड़े भाई आदरणीय श्री नीतीश कुमार जी के सुपुत्र निशांत का जन्मदिन है।
— Upendra Kushwaha (@UpendraKushRLM) July 20, 2025
खुशी के इस अवसर पर जेडीयू की नई उम्मीद निशांत को जन्म दिन की ढेर सारी शुभकामनाएं। ईश्वर उसे हमेशा स्वस्थ एवं प्रसन्नचित्त रखें।
इस अवसर पर आदरणीय श्री नीतीश कुमार जी… pic.twitter.com/5CeZiW4KHH
JD(U) Hits Back
JD(U) MLC Neeraj Kumar dismissed the post, saying, "Upendra Kushwaha owes his political identity to Nitish Kumar. This is just his personal opinion."
Cabinet Minister Maheshwar Hazari was even more direct: "Nitish Kumar remains the Chief Minister. The party doesn't agree with retirement talk. Any decision will be taken collectively."
Supporters Rally Behind Nitish
Nitish loyalists wasted no time countering the buzz. Some said, "We need Nitish for ten more years. After him, it's darkness. As long as he's around, there's light." They argued that retirement is natural, "but not now as he's still relevant."
The chatter didn't stop there. Some even pushed the idea of Nishant stepping into politics, saying, "If an IAS officer's son can become an IAS, why not a politician's son become a politician?"
Outside the JD(U) office, party workers backed Nitish strongly, calling Kushwaha's remarks a "personal opinion" and nothing more. The upcoming elections would be a tough test for Nitish Kumar as it could be a three-cornered fight, with Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party debuting this year.
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