Denied ticket for Bihar election, LJP(R) leader cries inconsolably on camera: 'Quitting politics'

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Abhay Kumar Singh broke down on camera upon being denied a ticket from the Morwa constituency.

As major parties in Bihar, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United), and smaller allies continue announcing their candidates for the upcoming assembly election, heartbreak among ticket aspirants has also started surfacing.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Abhay Kumar Singh broke down on camera.

One such emotional outburst went viral on Thursday, after Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Abhay Kumar Singh broke down on camera upon being denied a ticket from the Morwa constituency in Samastipur district.

In the video, now widely shared on social media, Abhay Kumar Singh can be seen crying inconsolably and accusing party leaders of favouritism and corruption in ticket distribution.

“Someone paid more money than me, that’s why he got the ticket. I am quitting politics now,” Singh says in the clip, weeping uncontrollably.

The video has sparked a political buzz in Bihar, with many users questioning the transparency in candidate selection within the NDA alliance.

Expressing frustration over what he called the “ticket system,” Singh said, “I struggled for 25 years and then fought elections again for 30 years. This is not within my capacity anymore. Now, I want to be free from this struggle. I also want to tell all my associates that everyone should forgive me for any mistakes I might have made during this time. Now I am not capable of providing service to you all. I am troubled by this ticket system. I trusted everyone repeatedly, trusted everyone. I even tried fighting as an independent candidate, but I want to say one thing — to all the workers from all parties — the condition that I am in, everyone else is or will be in the same condition,” he also says.

The LJP(R) leader also launched a scathing attack on the alleged “commission culture” in Bihar politics, claiming widespread corruption among local leaders.

“Everyone will only give you lollipop, cream, rasgulla, chicken, and alcohol for 15 days or a month during the election. After that, 20% commission, 25% commission, and 30% commission will be extorted from you. Sahu ji was thinking that if I win again, next time we’ll take 35% commission. Vidyasagar bhaiya must also be thinking the same. Morwa will remain in its own condition,” he said.

He further alleged that leaders in Morwa had amassed crores in property through black money and commissions.

“From 2010 to 2015 and again from 2015 to 2020, they looted Morwa. During five years, 17 sale deeds were registered, and despite negligible income, properties worth crores were acquired. All that was commission money,” Singh claimed.

“I will not disturb anyone’s work. If people are not sad about 20% or 30% commission, I am not sad either. Morwa will remain in its own condition. I will try to serve in whatever way I can. But I want to retire from politics. It’s not within my capacity anymore,” he said, breaking down in tears.

Abhay Kumar Singh had contested from Morwa as an LJP(R) candidate in the 2020 Bihar assembly election and was once again eyeing the same seat this time.

However, when Chirag Paswan’s party was allotted 29 seats as part of the NDA seat-sharing arrangement, Morwa and Rosra initially fell under its quota.

Later, after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar reportedly expressed displeasure, the Morwa seat was transferred to the JD(U)’s share, where former MLA Vidyasagar Nishad was named the candidate.

Upset by the decision, Singh went live on Facebook expressing his disappointment and announcing his “retirement from politics".

In the emotional video, he tells supporters that he no longer wishes to stay in politics after being “betrayed".

The ruling NDA decided its ticket distribution on Sunday. The BJP and JD(U) will contest 101 seats each, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest 29 seats. The Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will contest six seats each.

The polling for the 243-seat assembly is scheduled to be held on November 6 and November 11, with counting set for November 14.