Nitish Kumar’s estranged aide RCP Singh joins Jan Suraaj, Tejashwi finds hidden agenda behind it

In a major political development before the Bihar assembly elections, former Union Minister RCP Singh, who was once a close confidant of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, joined Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party on Sunday. He also announced the merger of his newly-launched party, Aap Sabki Awaz, with Jan Suraaj Party.

Both the leaders expressed their commitment to build Bihar which would be free from crime, corruption and communalism.

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Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said there is a hidden agenda behind the move. He didn’t take names but dropped strong hints that the BJP could be orchestrating the development.

He said, “Both of them were in JD(U), one a national president, the other a national vice-president. Who is getting all this done and how it is happening, people of Bihar know everything. If two rebels of JD(U) have come together, then everyone understands whose game it is. I don’t need to say much. People are watching everything.”

RCP Singh served the JD(U) as president, while Prashant Kishor helped the JD(U) win 2015 assembly elections as political strategist. He was later nominated as the party’s vice-president. The duo had played a crucial role in bringing Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar together and forming the Grand Alliance that resulted in the formation of its government in 2015.

Kishor said that Nitish Kumar had asked him to expand JD(U) in such a way that there could be no space for crime, corruption and communalism.

He said, “The JD(U) is not a party which was once under the dynamic leadership of Nitish Kumar. It has been hijacked by four ministers. If there is a party that still follows Nitish Kumar’s vision of practicing politics free from crime, corruption and communalism, it is Jan Suraaj.”

Kishor urged JD(U) workers to join Jan Suraaj as soon as possible, as the JD(U) was a sinking ship after Kumar lost control over it.

Reacting to the coming together of Prashant Kishor and RCP Singh, Bihar JD(U) President Umesh Singh Kushwaha said that it proves RCP Singh’s fading political existence.

He said, “The person, who was once engaged in a conspiracy to weaken our leader Nitish Kumar, is trying hard for his political revival. This pair is completely directionless and bereft of people’s support. Both leaders are trying to revive their lost political credibility, but this effort will ultimately prove futile.”