States » EastPosted at: Oct 5 2026 5:00PM


Lalan Singh steps in to defuse Anant Singh-Neeraj Kumar rift in JD(U)

Patna, Oct 5 (UNI) Senior JD(U) leader and union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh stepped in to contain the escalating differences between party MLA Anant Singh and its candidate for the Patna Graduate constituency in the Bihar Legislative Council, Neeraj Kumar, acknowledging that the dispute was a "reaction to an action" and admitting that the party had failed to act when campaigning against the Mokama MLA was allegedly underway.
Lalan Singh, who spoke to Anant Singh at the instance of JD(U) national working president Sanjay Jha, told news persons here on Monday that the Mokama MLA had agreed not to make any further public statements against Neeraj Kumar in the interest of the party.
However, the intervention has not resulted in a political rapprochement between the two leaders. Anant Singh has maintained that while he would refrain from publicly attacking Neeraj Kumar, he would not campaign or seek votes for the JD(U) candidate in the Legislative Council election.
Instead, Singh has reiterated his support for Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Kumar, who is contesting against Neeraj Kumar from the Patna Graduate constituency.
Defending Singh's grievances, Lalan Singh said, "Taali ek haath se nahin bajti" (clapping cannot be done with one hand), signalling that the controversy could not be attributed solely to the Mokama MLA."
"If there is an action, there will naturally be a reaction," Lalan Singh said, adding that the party should have intervened when campaigning against Anant Singh was allegedly taking place.
He said there had been a "lapse" on the part of the Bihar JD(U) organisation in dealing with the issue.
According to Lalan Singh, Anant Singh had told him that when the previous Nitish Kumar government faced a no-confidence motion, several JD(U) leaders had approached him seeking support for the government.
Singh had extended his support because of his respect for Nitish Kumar and his desire that the government should continue working for Bihar's development, Lalan Singh said.
He further claimed that after the government survived, Anant Singh met Nitish Kumar, who himself advised him to contest the Assembly election from Mokama.
Lalan Singh said Sanjay Jha and several other leaders were witnesses to the conversation.
However, according to Lalan Singh, during the subsequent election campaign, various allegations and negative propaganda were allegedly made against Anant Singh.
Without taking the name of Neeraj Kumar, Lalan Singh said the Mokama MLA had subsequently raised the issue before party leaders and complained that Neeraj Kumar had campaigned against him and had allegedly joined hands with his political opponents.
"No one gave an answer to his allegations in that meeting," Lalan Singh said, recounting his conversation with Anant Singh.
He said Anant Singh had taken the position that he could not seek votes for someone who had not sought votes for him and had allegedly worked against him.
Lalan Singh said he had nevertheless persuaded Anant Singh to avoid making the dispute public and that the Mokama MLA had agreed to his request.
"He has assured me that he will not make any public statement. He is with the party and will remain with the party," Lalan Singh said.
Meanwhile, JDU outgoing MLC, Neeraj Kumar, sought to project an image of unity within the ruling party while filing his nomination papers for the Patna Graduate seat.
Asked about Anant Singh's opposition, Neeraj Kumar said there was no challenge to his candidature and maintained that the party remained united.
He sought to shift the focus from the internal dispute to the larger organisation, saying the JD(U) was bigger than individual leaders and the alliance was bigger than any one contestant.
"There is only one power centre, and that is Nitish Kumar," Neeraj Kumar said, asserting that the blessings of the Bihar Chief Minister were his biggest political capital.
He also referred to Nitish Kumar and Nishant Kumar, saying the latter had already begun campaigning and expressing confidence that the contest would be "brilliant and vigorous".
Neeraj Kumar declined to predict the election result but claimed that the outcome would be watched nationally.
The political confrontation also spilt into allegations surrounding cases involving Anant Singh. Anant Singh has accused Neeraj Kumar of working against him in the last elections and has alleged that he was deliberately implicated in the AK-47 case and the Dularchand murder case.
Neeraj Kumar, however, rejected the allegations and said he was not afraid of any investigation or inquiry.
On the demand for a narco-analysis test in connection with the AK-47 case, Neeraj Kumar said such a test required due legal procedure and court permission.
He questioned why the investigation should be confined to a narco test and argued that mobile phone details and other evidence should also be examined. He said he would place the relevant evidence before the court and was prepared to argue his case personally if required.
The controversy has assumed significance because Anant Singh is a sitting JD(U) MLA while Neeraj Kumar is the party''s official candidate for the Patna Graduate constituency and both are considered to be close confidants of Nitish Kumar,
Anant Singh has categorically cleared that his opposition is directed specifically at Neeraj Kumar and has sought to distinguish it from any broader disagreement with the JD(U) or its leadership.
Lalan Singh's intervention appears to have achieved a temporary truce in terms of public statements. Anant Singh has agreed to maintain silence publicly while continuing to back the rival Jan Suraaj candidate. UNI RS SAS
Tags: #Lalan Singh steps in to defuse Anant Singh-Neeraj Kumar rift in JD(U)
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