Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was elected as the president of Janata Dal (United) on Friday during the party’s national executive meeting. The meeting applauded his role in uniting Opposition parties and leading the demand for a caste census. The party’s chief spokesperson, KC Tyagi, said Kumar has accepted the responsibility, taking over from Lalan Singh.

Sources reveal that Lalan Singh was removed due to perceived proximity to the JD(U)’s alliance partner in Bihar, Lalu Yadav’s RJD, where Tejaswi Yadav serves as the Deputy CM. Speculation of a rift emerged when Union Minister Giriraj Singh claimed that Lalu Prasad once told him, “JD(U) will merge with RJD soon.”

Nitish Kumar is a man who harbours suspicions about everyone. He was under the impression that his party would split into two factions, with one aligning with the BJP and the other with the RJD, ultimately making the RJD the largest party in Bihar. Nitish had severed ties with the BJP when he suspected that another confidante, RCP Singh, who was then a Union Minister in the Modi cabinet, was collaborating with the BJP to break the JD(U), similar to what happened in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena’s division,” revealed a senior JDU Member of Parliament to The Pioneer.

Nitish Kumar’s appointment as the JDU boss also grants him greater control over the party’s stance on seat-sharing across India for the Lok Sabha elections, a topic he has frequently emphasised. He aspires to be the Prime Ministerial candidate of the coalition. In the 2019 elections, the JDU secured 16 of the State’s 40 seats, while the BJP won 17.

At the closed-door meeting, Singh stepped down and proposed Kumar’s name, emphasising that Kumar’s leadership is crucial in the lead-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, especially as Singh will be occupied with his own election campaign. Singh currently represents the Munger constituency in the Lok Sabha.

Sources indicate that a majority of key leaders within the party believed that Kumar, as its most prominent figure, should assume leadership at this crucial juncture. The party is part of the Opposition INDIA bloc.

Criticism of Singh’s leadership style by several party leaders in recent interactions with Kumar has been cited as a factor. Amid reports of a rift within the party, the Chief Minister has actively worked to project an image of unity, keeping Singh by his side. Party sources have dismissed claims that Singh’s perceived proximity to the RJD was the reason for his ouster, highlighting his decades-long close alliance with Kumar.

During the executive meeting, Kumar expressed that he personally was not eager to assume the role of the party’s president but would respect the decision of the national executive members who wholeheartedly endorsed the development, according to sources.

At the venue, many enthusiastic party members raised slogans, projecting their leader as a prime ministerial candidate. Among the various proposals discussed in the meeting was Kumar’s leadership in advocating for a caste census and conducting a “caste survey” in Bihar. This effort led to the State Government increasing the reservation from the existing 60 per cent to 75 per cent, with support from every party.

Amid the JD(U)’s perceived dissatisfaction with leading members of the INDIA bloc for not assigning a formal role to its most prominent leader in the alliance, one proposal highlighted Kumar’s role in reaching out to different Opposition parties to unite them after he severed ties with the BJP in August 2022.

The general secretary, Dhananjay Singh, noted that it was Kumar who emphasised that there cannot be an opposition alliance without the Congress, countering the idea of a front of different non-BJP parties minus the Congress proposed by some regional leaders, including BRS leader K Chandrashekar Rao.

The executive also condemned the suspension of 146 opposition MPs from Parliament during the recent Winter Session.

During the meeting, Kumar stated that he would ensure senior members of the party are given various roles.

On Thursday, Singh rejected reports about his likely departure as JD(U) president and any rift within the party, stating, “You are trying to set the narrative... JD(U) is one and will remain united.” He made these remarks in response to media queries on his resignation and differences within the party. Kumar echoed this view before boarding the flight from Patna to Delhi.

After the meeting, Singh refuted any notion of a rift in the party, saying, “Anger? What anger? Why should I be angry? This is the first time I am hearing this word.”

However, Tejaswi Yadav dismissed any rift and accused the BJP of “planting stories” to destabilise the JDU-RJD alliance in the state. Yadav’s reaction came after the BJP’s Sushil Modi, who was the Deputy Chief Minister until Nitish Kumar quit that alliance, claimed that the JDU was spreading rumors about re-allying with the BJP to keep the RJD and Congress in check.