Munger MP Lalan Singh is new JD(U) national president

The decision to this effect was taken at the party’s national executive committee meeting held in New Delhi.

Munger MP and trusted friend of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, will be the new Janata Dal (United) national president after incumbent RCP Singh, who recently became a Union minister, stepped down on Saturday.

Lalan Singh, as he is more popularly known, is the fourth national president of the JD(U). (File photo)

The decision to this effect was taken at the party’s national executive committee meeting held in New Delhi.

Lalan Singh, as he is more popularly known, is the fourth national president of the JD(U) which was formed on October 30, 2003.

Yadav was the first president of the party (2004 to 2016), followed by Nitish Kumar (2016-2020) and RCP Singh (2020-July 2021).

Singh has played an important role in building the party. He is credited for bringing Lok Janshakti Party’s sole Bihar MLA Raj Kumar Singh into the JD(U) apart from Independent Sumit Kumar Singh and was also reportedly responsible for the split in the LJP, which gave a jolt to Chirag Paswan.

The change in guard in the JD(U) was imminent after RCP Singh became the Union minister leaving many party leaders, including Lalan Singh, sulking. Even the Munger MP, who was a contender for the cabinet berth, was taken aback after the JD(U) refused to take ‘token representation’ in the Union cabinet in 2019.

During the recent cabinet expansion of the Narendra Modi government, the party authorised current party national president RCP Singh to take decisions on its behalf. Singh, however, just ensured his own inclusion and people privy to the matter said that this was against the wish of Nitish Kumar who wanted two cabinet berths - for him and Lalan Singh.

Singh’s elevation to the party post is seen as an effort by chief minister Nitish Kumar to send a message across the forward voters’, particularly the predominant Bhumihar community, that party gives respect to them as well.

Former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, who joined the JD(U) in March this year, was also in contention for the post as it suited Kumar’s social equation of Luv-Kush voters (Kurmi-Koeri community). But there is already a state president from the Kushwaha community and that could have dented the party’s image.

Lalan Singh, who represents Munger Lok Sabha seat, was the president of Bihar JD(U) when he rebelled against CM Nitish Kumar in 2010 and later continued to be an unattached member of the party. The two re-approached in 2013. He was given a ticket to contest the Munger Lok Sabha seat but was defeated by Veena Devi of LJP by nearly 1 lakh votes.

He was nominated to the Bihar Legislative Council under the Governor’s quota and was appointed the Minister for Road Construction Department in the Jitan Ram Manjhi cabinet in June 2014. He was sacked from the cabinet by Manjhi in February 2015. When Nitish Kumar took charge as the chief minister, he was again inducted as a minister in the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) government.

The JD(U) has 16 MPs in Lok Sabha and five in Rajya Sabha, whereas it has 43 MLAs in the Bihar assembly.