JD(U) names Shrawon Kumar as legislative party leader in Bihar

Patna: Former Bihar minister Shrawon Kumar has been made the JD(U)'s legislative party leader, a notification issued by the state assembly secretariat said on Tuesday.

The development comes a day after the party's legislators had "authorised" national president Nitish Kumar to take a decision in the matter.

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The JD(U) supremo had chaired a meeting of party MLAs and MLCs at 1, Anney Marg, the official residence of the Chief Minister of Bihar, which he is likely to vacate soon in view of having relinquished the top post.

Shrawon Kumar, a confidant of the JD(U) chief, is a seventh-term MLA from Nalanda constituency, which falls in the eponymous district to which the former CM also belongs.

The 68-year-old leader, who is a Kurmi, a powerful OBC group to which Nitish Kumar also belongs, has held portfolios like rural development, social welfare and transport in governments headed by his mentor, who has now moved to the Rajya Sabha.

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Meanwhile, the JD(U) president's son Nishant congratulated Shrawon Kumar upon being appointed as the legislative party leader.

"This is great. I extend him my best wishes," he told reporters.

BJP leader Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as the 24th chief minister of Bihar on April 15, marking the first instance of a member of the saffron party assuming the top post in the state.