No political party can do politics in Bihar without JD(U), says Sanjay Jha

In a direct message to its partners within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Janata Dal (United) National Working President Sanjay Kumar Jha on Wednesday (October 7, 2026) declared that no political party can do politics in Bihar without JD(U).

Mr. Jha said this during ‘Nitish Dialogue on Farakka Water Treaty’ organised by the party in Vaishali’s Hajipur, where a large number of party workers and leaders were gathered, including Nishant Kumar, son of former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and JD(U) State Unit President Umesh Singh Kushwaha. 

“When it comes to the future of the JD(U) in Bihar politics, it is second to none. JD(U) is on par with the other party. Keep this in mind: anyone wishing to do politics in Bihar will have to do so by centring their activities around the JD(U),”Mr. Jha said.

Mr. Jha then went on to describe the performance of the JD(U) in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Bihar, asserting that the Assembly election was contested on the face of Nitish and his leadership. For the first time, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has its own Chief Minister as Samrat Choudhary after Nitish Kumar was elected to the Rajya Sabha.

“We contested in 16 seats in Lok Sabha and won 12; in the Assembly election we contested in 101 seats and secured victory in 85 seats. JD(U) has never won so many seats. In the 2025 Assembly election, people voted on the face of Nitish Kumar. We all went to the election under his leadership. People will remember Nitish Kumar’s name for his work for the next 100 years, Mr. Jha said.

He also asserted that during the election there was talk about JD(U)’s future and its survival after Nitish.

“I never used to talk about it, but many people used to say what will happen with the party, what the future of the party is​, how this party will function, and that this party will be finished. This discussion was not only in Bihar but across the country. Let me say it, this party has made a space in the heart of the people,”Mr. Jha said.

Mr. Jha also pointed out that till the time, while Nitish Kumar was in active politics, people seldom used to see his son Nishant, and many even did not know his name.

“His father was Chief Minister for 20 years in Bihar, Minister for 5 years at the Centre, but hardly anyone saw him at public platforms. He is a Minister but maintains simplicity, there is no arrogance in him despite getting power, you will find very few. He meets people with sympathy; he is the leader of the party. The future of the party in the coming days is under his leadership,” Mr. Jha said.

Addressing the programme, he also discussed the severe damage Bihar has suffered over the past 30 years in the form of floods and droughts due to the Farakka Barrage and Farakka Water Treaty, and appealed for unity among all residents of the region on this issue concerning the state’s interests. He demanded that the Farakka Water Treaty, causing a water crisis in Bihar, should not be renewed.

“Our leader, former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ji, has been raising the issue of the damage caused to Bihar by the Farakka Barrage and Farakka Water Treaty on various platforms from the very beginning. Now, as the 30-year term of this treaty is set to expire in December 2026, our party, JD(U), believes that it should not be renewed, and any new arrangement should take into account Bihar’s water requirements for the next 25 years,” Mr. Jha said.