Patna, March 23 JD(U) leader Nishant Kumar on Monday praised his father, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, for his efforts in reducing violence along religious and caste lines in the state.
The 44-year-old, who entered active politics just a couple of weeks ago, interacted with journalists at the party office where he was paying tributes to socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia on his birth anniversary.
"My father considers himself a follower of Lohia. He told me that he once had the opportunity to listen to Lohia's speech at Gandhi Maidan here, and since then, he has strived to live by the ideals that Lohia stood for," Nishant Kumar said.
He added, "Lohia's commitment to truth (satya) inspired my father to ensure integrity in public life. And Lohia's emphasis on non-violence (ahimsa) drove my father to strive for peace in Bihar, which had been plagued by caste and communal violence until he came to power in 2005".
The proud son also cited steps taken by his father to empower women, who enjoy 50 per cent reservation in local bodies and a 35 per cent quota in government jobs, saying these were inspired by Lohia's ideal of "nar naari sammanta (gender equality)".
Speculation is rife that once the JD(U) supremo's son is elected to the legislative council, he may join the government as deputy chief minister once a new government is formed after Nitish Kumar moves to the Rajya Sabha.
