Patna, Oct 5 (IANS) JD(U): National President Nitish Kumar, on Monday met Union Minister and senior party leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lalan Singh, at the latter’s residence in Patna, amid an ongoing dispute within the party over the Bihar Legislative Council election for the Patna Graduates’ constituency.
The meeting lasted around 20 minutes. Although no official details of the discussion were released, it came just before the filing of nomination papers by JD(U) candidate Neeraj Kumar and amid continued opposition to his candidature from Mokama MLA Anant Singh.
Lalan Singh had earlier been entrusted by the JD(U) leadership with the responsibility of trying to resolve the differences between Anant Singh and Neeraj Kumar.
Mokama MLA Anant Singh has openly backed Jan Suraaj candidate Dr Anuj Singh for the Patna Graduates’ seat instead of supporting the JD(U)’s official nominee, Neeraj Kumar.
The Mokama MLA attended Anuj Singh’s nomination programme on October 1 and subsequently campaigned for him.
Anant has also publicly said that he wants to see Neeraj Kumar defeated in the election, citing his differences with the JD(U) leader.
The development has put the JD(U) in an unusual position, with one of its sitting MLAs openly campaigning for a candidate from another party against the JD(U)’s official nominee.
JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha had earlier said that the party had taken note of the differences between Anant Singh and Neeraj Kumar and had assigned Lalan Singh the task of holding discussions with both leaders to find a resolution.
Lalan Singh subsequently indicated that he would seek a settlement without taking sides and that discussions would depend on the willingness of both leaders to resolve their differences.
The latest meeting between Nitish Kumar and Lalan Singh comes against this backdrop.
However, neither leader has publicly disclosed whether any specific decision was taken during the meeting.
Neeraj Kumar, the JD(U)’s incumbent candidate from the Patna Graduates’ constituency, is scheduled to file his nomination on Monday.
He has already met Nitish Kumar ahead of the nomination and received the party president’s support for the election campaign.
The JD(U) has fielded Neeraj Kumar for another term from the constituency, while Jan Suraaj has nominated Dr Anuj Singh.
Anant Singh’s public support for Anuj has intensified attention on the contest and exposed differences within the JD(U).
