Bihar CM Nitish Kumar retakes helm of JD(U) after Lalan Singh steps down

Nitish Kumar The Chief Minister of Bihar and leader of the Janata Dal (United), has been re-elected as the party's president, bringing an end to weeks of speculation and political jostling. This came after Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh quit the post on Friday.

#WATCH | Delhi: Bihar CM and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar says, "I have accepted the post of the national president of the party..." pic.twitter.com/GwlYP2QYqk

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2023

Farewell and friction

The drama unfolded on Friday afternoon in Delhi, where the JD(U) national executive convened. In a surprising turn of events, Lalan Singh, Kumar's close aide who held the president's post, stepped down, paving the way for Kumar's immediate return. 

After the party meeting, Mr Singh shot down talk of a rift in the party, and said, "Anger? What anger? Why should I be angry? This is the first time I am hearing this word." 

जनता दल (यूनाइटेड) के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष का पद स्वीकार करने के लिए माननीय मुख्यमंत्री श्री @NitishKumar जी को श्री @LalanSingh_1 जी ने बधाई दी।#नीतीश_जरूरी_है#JDU #NitishKumar #delhi #JDUMeeting pic.twitter.com/L8A2zbgtxT

— Janata Dal (United) (@Jduonline) December 29, 2023

BJP throws barbs

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wasted no time in seizing the opportunity. Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Vijay Kumar Sinha, dismissed Kumar's return as a mere "farewell," stating that a "self-respecting person" wouldn't accept such a reinstatement. 

Alliance intrigue

Adding to the intrigue, rumours swirled about a potential merger between the JD(U) and Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), another former partner of the BJP. Union Minister Giriraj Singh claimed to have heard directly from Lalu Yadav about such a plan. However, both Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu's son and the Deputy Chief Minister, and Nitish Kumar rubbished these claims, attributing them to the BJP's attempts to sow discord.

Shadow of 2024

Looming over these internal manoeuvres is the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Nitish Kumar, once touted as a potential prime ministerial candidate for the opposition bloc, was reportedly passed over earlier this month. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the JDU won 16 of the 40 seats and the BJP 17 of the state.