JD(U) MLA Claims Nine Murders Aided Nitish Kumar's Rise

JD(U) MLA Anant Kumar Singh has claimed he facilitated the murder of nine people to aid Nitish Kumar during the Bihar chief minister's initial political struggles. Singh made the controversial assertion while criticising his own party's candidate selection for the upcoming Bihar Legislative Council elections.

Singh said that nine of his associates were killed during Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure as chief minister because of their support for Nitish Kumar. He made the remarks in a conversation with a news agency on Friday from Patna. Singh is currently backing Jan Suraaj Party candidate Anuj Singh against the JD(U)'s official nominee, Neeraj Kumar, in the Patna Graduates' constituency MLC poll. He insisted his actions did not reflect disloyalty to Nitish Kumar, with whom he claims a long association.

Party and leader responses

JD(U) swiftly distanced itself from the remarks. The party's national spokesperson, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, said the statement did not deserve serious consideration from the party or the public.

Prasad defended Nitish Kumar's nearly five-decade political record, stating the chief minister has an untainted reputation with no allegations of association with criminals or involvement in violence ever sticking. He rejected any suggestion of Kumar's links to criminal activity. This defence is central to the party's identity, as Nitish Kumar has built much of his political image over his two decades leading Bihar around improving law and order in the state.

Singh's current political stance and opposition

Anant Kumar Singh has vowed to ensure the defeat of JD(U) candidate Neeraj Kumar. He stated he had worked against Kumar in previous elections from the Mokama Assembly seat, an area where Singh, known as ‘Chhote Sarkar’, holds considerable influence.

Senior JD(U) leaders, including Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, attempted to mediate the tension between Singh and Neeraj Kumar, but these efforts failed. The party's state president, Umesh Singh Kushwaha, warned of disciplinary action against Singh for defying party directives. Despite the party's reaction, Singh asserted he stands by his statement about the nine murders.

The controversy drew a sharp reaction from the opposition RJD. Its chief spokesperson, Shakti Yadav, stated that Singh's admission revealed wrongdoing during the JD(U)'s long tenure in power.

Campaign dynamics and broader context

The dispute centres on JD(U)’s choice of candidate for the upcoming Legislative Council polls. Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor took a swipe at Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary during the campaign, questioning how an individual facing criminal charges could run the government. Kishor appealed to voters to ensure the defeat of NDA candidates to send a message against Choudhary continuing as chief minister.

Singh later clarified that he was referring to the deaths of his associates and claimed his original remarks had been misrepresented. He also said his family had suffered significant losses, including his father passing away from a heart attack. The election for the Patna Graduates’ constituency seat is scheduled to be held on October 23.