3 min readMay 3, 2026 09:25 PM IST
As he got into his waiting yellow bus amid a shower of flower petals and the sound of drums, conches and bugles, Nishant Kumar clearly laid out what it was — a political outreach for the Janata Dal (United) scion.
“Sadbhav means having the same feeling for all, whether rich or poor, backward or forward, Dalits or minorities,” Nishant said, standing in front of the yellow luxury bus with a life-size image of his father. “Just as my father used to start all his yatras from West Champaran — the karmabhoomi of Mahatma Gandhi — I’m also doing the same.”
On Sunday, Nishant, son of Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister Nitish Kumar, embarked on his first political yatra, the Sadbhav Yatra, since entering politics in March. For the next four months, Nishant will travel a 300-km yatra from Patna to Valmiki Nagar, with stops at Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Lauria, Bettiah and Bagaha — and the key irrigation and border landmark in Champaran, the Gandak Barrage.
Although it technically began Sunday, the real yatra will begin Monday from Bagaha and Bettiah, where he will meet party workers and hear public grievances. Leaders such as JD(U) state president Umesh Kushwaha, party’s leader in the Assembly Shravan Kumar and Islampur MLA Ruhel Ranjan will accompany him during the yatra.
Nishant stopped at several places along the way Sunday. (Express Photo by Rahul Sharma)
Before he set out, Nishant sought the blessings of his father at his new residence, 7, Circular Road. As he reached the JD(U) office on Patna’s Bir Chand Patel Path, chants of ‘Nishant Kumar zindabad’, ‘Jay Nishant, tay Nishant’ and ‘Nitish Kumar zindabad’ met him.
Nishant stopped at several places along the way Sunday. The day also saw a good turnout of women — a core constituency of his father. Speaking from the bus rooftop at Narkatiaganj, he said: “I’m overwhelmed with your love and blessings. We have to work towards the goal of my father’s motto of ‘Viksit Bihar and Samridh Bihar (developed and prosperous Bihar)’.”
Nishant is expected to travel to Vaishali on May 7. JD(U) chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said: “He has set out on a yatra to get public feedback, hear people’s grievances and carry forward the rich legacy of his father, Nitish Kumar. The crowd response has been overwhelming from the start of the yatra”.
