News Analysis India

Tag: Rajiv Ranjan

  • Rift wide open in JD-U as key leaders skip event to welcome Union minister

    Express News Service

    PATNA:  Factionalism surfaced within the ruling JD-U on Monday during an event organised to mark the arrival of the Union Steel Minister and the party’s senior leader RCP Singh in Patna. Upendra Kushwaha, president of the JD-U parliamentary board and newly elected national president of party Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh, were absent at the party function. 

    While Kushwaha said he was not informed about the minister’s visit, Lalan Singh was not simply spotted at the event. There was more: posters welcoming RCP Singh carried no pictures of either Kushwaha or Lalan Singh. The posters were later removed and new ones with pictures of Lalan Singh were put up but again Kushwaha’s picture still remained absent.

    Kushwaha and RCP Singh haven’t had the best of relations. When Kushwaha merged his Rashtriya Lok Samata Party with the JD-U, RCP Singh was not in favour of it. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RCP Singh dismissed “speculation” about JD-U’s factionalism. Kumar said: “Some people are spreading such rumours. There is no demonstration of political strength on the arrival of anyone like RCP Singh.”

    “I myself had recommended RCP Singh for the party’s national president. Now, RCP Singh has made Lalan Singh the national president. Everyone in the party is united,” said Nitish. Sources said no senior leader, except a few ministers, MPs and MLAs, was seen in the function. “Dissidence in the JD-U is real,” said a leader who attended the function.

    When asked about the party’s demand for a caste-based census, RCP Singh was evasive, but said inclusive development was taking place in the country, and that reservation was a non-issue.

  • Cracks in NDA? Will fight UP polls with or without BJP, says JDU

    Express News Service

    PATNA: The unease between the NDA constituents – the BJP and the JD(U) – continued to grow on Sunday after the latter said it was ready to contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls ‘with or without BJP as an ally’.

    “It is up to the BJP to decide on the alliance for UP polls. We are willing go it alone in UP,” newly-elected national president of JD(U) Rajiv Ranjan told the media.

    There has been a growing discomfort between the parties ever since the JD(U) broke ranks to demand a probe into the Pegasus snooping and also seek a caste-based census, going against the BJP line, which wanted the headcount done only for the SCs and the STs. 

    Other NDA constituents –Vikashsheel Insaan Party and Hindustani Awami Morcha (Secular) –have announced that they, too, would fight the UP polls with or without allies.

    Linking JD(U)’s stellar show in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly election, when the party won seven of the 15 seats it contested, to the popularity of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Ranjan said his image as an able administrator would help the party expand in eastern UP.

    Ranjan’s statement is being viewed in light of Nitish’s desire to shed the regional leader tag and have a say in national politics. 

    The party most recently contested the Assam and Bengal elections by fielding its candidates, but drew a blank. Its victory in Arunachal, too, was shortlived as all the seven legislators later defected to the BJP.

    Reacting sharply to Ranjan’s statement, BJP insiders said if the JD(U) did not reconsider its stand, it could lead to unpleasant developments, including the parting of ways. 

    However, a JD(U) leader said, “If we contest alone, we would make caste census, population policy and Pegasus our major poll issues. Caste census figures on top of our priority list.”

    JD(U) is attempting to woo the Kurmi, Koeri and other OBC castes.

  • Munger MP Lalan Singh replaces RCP Singh as JDU president

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: JDU MP Rajiv Ranjan, better known as Lalan Singh, was on Saturday chosen as its national president at the party’s national executive meeting here, sources said. Singh replaces RCP Singh, who offered to step down as he has been inducted as a Cabinet minister in the Modi government.

    Lalan Singh, a Bhumihar MP from Munger Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar, has long been a close confidant of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the main face of his party.

  • RCP Singh to step down, new national president likely for JDU

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Bihar’s ruling JD-U is likely to get a new national president replacing RCP Singh after he was chosen as a Union cabinet minister.

    The meeting of the party’s national executive is slated to be held on July 31 in New Delhi with tall senior leaders of the party in attendance. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar reached New Delhi on Friday evening to attend the meet.

    Sources within the JDU said that the name of Munger MP Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh is almost agreed upon. Lalan Singh is considered closest to CM Nitish Kumar in the party after RCP Singh.

    Lalan Singh has profound experience in handling party affairs and chalking out political strategies. The JDU follows one post one person policy in the party.

    Lalan Singh has always put party’s political interests at the forefront in decision-making exercises within the party. With the election of Lalan Singh to the post of national president, JD-U will try to give a message ti upper caste Bhumihar, which is learnt to have become annoyed with JD-U since last few years.