Nitish Kumar to Reclaim JD(U) Leadership Post, Unopposed

Janata Dal (United) Presidential Election Update

Key Figures:

• Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar and JD(U) national president candidate
• Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister and former JD(U) national president
• Sanjay Kumar Jha, JD(U) national working president
• Aafaque Ahmad Khan, JD(U) national general secretary

Update on JD(U) Presidential Election

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Nitish Kumar is set to return as the national president of the Janata Dal (United) unopposed, after being the only candidate to file nomination for the post on Thursday, March 16, 2026. This will be his third term as national president, following his first assumption of the role in April 2016 and his re-election in 2019.

Election Schedule

• March 16, 2026: JD(U) announced a fresh election schedule for the post of national president.
• March 22: Last date of withdrawal of candidates.
• March 23: Scrutiny of nomination papers.
• March 24: Last date for withdrawal of candidature.
• March 27: Formal re-election of Nitish Kumar as JD(U) national president (if there are no other candidates).

JD(U) Organisational Polls

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The JD(U) recently re-elected its state president Umesh Kushwaha in ongoing organisational polls, signaling continuity of JD(U)'s Luv-Kush (Kurmi-Koeri) social base.

JD(U) Leadership Changes

Nitish Kumar took over the party leadership from Rajiv Ranjan Singh in December 2023.