Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was elected as the president of Janata Dal (United) on Friday. This comes as Lalan Singh stepped down as the party’s chief.
Source: X
New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar becomes the President of Janata Dal (United) as Lalan Singh (Rajiv Ranjan) quits. The decision was taken at the party’s national executive meeting on Friday.
It has been reported that the majority of influential figures within the party believe that Nitish Kumar, who is the party’s most prominent figure, should assume leadership of the organization during this critical period. Bihar minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary stated that Lalan Singh had expressed his intention to resign as party chief due to his involvement in election campaigns.
The Bihar minister, on the other hand, refuted speculations regarding any political reconfiguration in Bihar. Nitish Kumar has changed his allegiance multiple times in the past twenty years, serving as the chief minister with the support of both the BJP and the Mahagathbandhan alliance consisting of RJD and the Congress.
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Nitish Kumar’s Concerns
The emergence of changes within the JD(U) occurs amidst reports of disagreements among the senior leadership. According to sources cited by news agency PTI, certain leaders expressed dissatisfaction with Lalan Singh’s leadership approach and have raised this concern with Nitish Kumar.
Nitish Kumar has been instrumental in uniting opposition parties on a single platform to counter the BJP. He is among the top contenders to lead the coalition. While certain parties within the INDIA bloc have suggested Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as the leader of the anti-BJP alliance, the JD(U) leaders have intensified their support for Nitish as the prime ministerial candidate for the opposition alliance.
Despite senior leaders of the party refuting speculations about a change in leadership until Friday morning, the decision was made due to reports of a division within JD(U) and Nitish’s lack of promotion by Lalan in the INDIA bloc. Despite being the mentor of the opposition parties’ unity against the BJP at this stage, Nitish’s name was not given enough recognition. It is believed that with Nitish directly handling party affairs, including seat-sharing and potential realignment issues before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and next year’s state assembly elections, he is the only one capable of keeping his party united.
Lalan Singh’s Proximity to RJD
It has been reported that Lalan’s purported closeness to RJD leader Lalu Prasad and his alleged disrespectful demeanor towards certain senior party members may lead to a division within the JD(U) just before the upcoming elections. This division arises as a result of one faction within the JD(U) feeling uneasy about aligning with the RJD and instead showing a stronger inclination towards the BJP.
Nitish is eager to actively participate in the national electoral competition rather than playing a subordinate role to the Congress. The Congress, which holds the responsibility of determining the seat-sharing matter with the INDIA bloc partners, is unlikely to have its leadership role easily relinquished. Numerous enthusiastic members of the JD(U) even chanted slogans at the meeting venue in Delhi, presenting Nitish as a potential candidate for the position of Prime Minister.
Nitish Kumar’s Next Steps
Despite Nitish’s repeated denials of having any desire for the PM post or being the convener of the INDIA bloc, a faction within JD(U) is urging him to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh. Their intention is to keep his name relevant in case there is a hung House after the parliamentary polls and to challenge PM Narendra Modi. Senior JD(U) leader K C Tyagi has not dismissed this possibility either. He stated after the Friday meeting that Nitish has not yet made a decision on contesting from Phulpur.
Tyagi further mentioned that the final decision will be made jointly by Nitish and Akhilesh (Samajwadi Party chief). He also emphasized that Bihar will serve as a model for seat-sharing within INDIA. Tyagi’s statement is seen as an indication of the complexities and pressures involved in seat-sharing negotiations. However, he clarified that JD(U) is not joining the NDA fold and there is no threat of a party split.
