New Delhi/Patna, Mar 24: Nitish Kumar was on Tuesday re-elected unopposed as the national president of the Janata Dal (United) (JD-U), marking his fifth consecutive term at the helm of the party.
Kumar, who will serve a fresh 2025–2028 term, was declared elected after no other nominations were filed for the top post and the deadline for withdrawal of candidatures ended, party sources said.
“Nitish Kumar was elected unopposed as no other nominations were filed,” a party statement said, adding that the returning officer Aneel Prasad Hegde would issue the certificate of election following the completion of formalities at the party headquarters in the national capital.
The development comes days after Kumar’s election to the Rajya Sabha on March 16, further consolidating his position within the party ahead of key political engagements.
Senior JD(U) leaders, including Sanjay Kumar Jha, Shravan Kumar and Sanjay Gandhi, had earlier submitted his nomination papers at the party office in New Delhi.
Kumar first assumed the role of party president in 2016, succeeding Sharad Yadav. The party, founded in 2003 by socialist leader George Fernandes, has since seen multiple leadership changes, with Kumar stepping down in 2020 to make way for RCP Singh, followed by Rajiv Ranjan Singh taking charge in 2021.
However, Kumar returned to the top post in December 2023 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and has now been re-elected once again without contest.
Meanwhile, political observers are also closely watching the entry of Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, into the party, with indications that he may be given a key organisational role in the near future.
“He has been re-elected for the 2025–28 term,” the party said, underlining the continuity in leadership within the JD(U).
