JD(U) Turmoil: Anant Singh Backs Opponent Over Party Nominee

A fresh crisis has erupted within the Janata Dal (United) as senior leader Anant Singh openly rejected the party's official MLC candidate, Neeraj Kumar, during the NDA legislative session. Singh declared his allegiance to Jan Suraj Party's candidate Anuj Singh, stating unequivocally that he would not support Kumar at any price.

Kumar, who also holds the position of JD(U) chief spokesperson, responded with restraint, noting that party members would respect the decisions made by the leadership. The dispute has intensified the battle for the Patna Graduate seat, one of eight MLC seats set for election on 23 October.

Both Singh and Kumar are from Mokama, and their rivalry predates their JD(U) association. In the 2015 assembly elections, Kumar contested against Singh as an independent and won. Singh, who has several criminal cases pending, has previously attacked Kumar's political record.

The Jan Suraj Party (JSP) is leveraging the situation. Founder Prashant Kishor warned that if former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar releases an authentic video endorsing Kumar, JSP will withdraw its candidate from the Patna Graduate constituency. Kishor has also emphasized his campaign's focus on education and job creation, promising at least 10,000 private‑sector jobs over a five‑year period.

The Patna Graduate constituency, covering parts of Patna, Nalanda and Nawada and containing about 80,000 registered graduate voters, has traditionally been a JD(U) stronghold. The current internal discord could dramatically shift the electoral dynamics.