NEW DELHI: The Janata Dal (United) is considering a proposal to rename the more than two-decade-old party as ‘JD(U)-Nitish’, in recognition of its supreme leader and former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.The suggestion was made by JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, who was heard in a purportedly recorded video saying the party owed its standing to Kumar and that its ideology was rooted in his political philosophy.“We should therefore consider renaming the party as JD(U)-Nitish,” Jha was heard saying.The proposal has received backing from senior JD(U) leaders, including Bihar deputy chief minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav and minister Shrawon Kumar.Yadav, a former state president of the JD(U), said, “It is a very good suggestion. Let there be a formal discussion on the matter so that a decision could be taken.”Shrawon Kumar said, “There could not have been a better proposal. I suggest that a formal resolution be brought by the party at the earliest. It is bound to be passed unanimously.”The JD(U) was formed in 2003 through the merger of the Sharad Yadav-led Janata Dal and the Samata Party. Though Sharad Yadav served as its national president until 2016, Nitish Kumar was widely regarded as its de facto leader. Kumar formally took over as national president in 2016.The development comes days after Jha rejected a separate proposal to rename Bakhtiyarpur, Kumar’s birthplace, as ‘Nitishpur’ on Thursday. Responding to the suggestion by Hindustani Awam Morcha national president Santosh Kumar Suman, Jha said Kumar “has always let his work speak on his behalf” and “has never believed in renaming places”.Jha also said, “Let us bear in mind that merely changing the name of the place will not erase from history the fact that Bakhtiyar Khilji had invaded the land and set Nalanda, the ancient seat of learning, on fire”.The proposal to rename the town had also drawn support from Union minister Chirag Paswan. “This is indeed a good suggestion. Nitish Kumar ji has contributed immensely to the progress of Bihar over a long period of time,” Paswan said.
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The RJD, meanwhile, has criticised both proposals. RJD MLA Bhai Virendra claimed the party could split within months, alleging that the developments pointed in that direction.The JD(U) is yet to announce any formal decision on renaming the party.