JDU MLA Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, representing Parbatta Assembly constituency, joined the Opposition RJD at an event in Bihar. (X/@DrSanjeev0121)
In the run-up to the Assembly election in Bihar, ruling Janata Dal (United) MLA Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, representing Parbatta Assembly constituency in Khagaria district, joined the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) at an event in Parbatta on Friday.
RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav was also scheduled to reach the venue but his chopper could not fly due to bad weather. He administered Mr. Kumar’s RJD membership through video conference from Patna. He welcomed Mr. Kumar into the RJD, asserting that his entry would have a big impact in Bihar.
In the 2020 Assembly election, Mr. Kumar defeated RJD’s Digambar Prasad Tiwary by a narrow margin of 951 votes.
Hailing from Bhumihar caste, Mr. Kumar joining the RJD is seen as a boost for Mr. Tejashwi, the Leader of the Opposition in Bihar Assembly who has been working hard to expand the RJD’s support base beyond its traditional Muslim-Yadav (MY) base.
Vocal critic of NDA
Mr. Kumar has been outspoken and has criticised his own NDA government on multiple occasions in the past over issues such as farmers’ rights and alleged irregularities in road and bridge construction projects. He had even criticised the Union government over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State when it was launched.
His name cropped up in the case of alleged horse-trading during the floor test of the NDA government after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar deserted the RJD and the Congress to form the government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last year.
The case is being investigated by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of Bihar and the agency questioned him in July 2025. Parbatta is a stronghold of Mr. Kumar’s family. His father Ramanand Prasad Singh had been elected MLA from this seat four times. His elder brother Rajiv Kumar is an MLC from the Congress party.
Attacking the Nitish Kumar government, Mr. Kumar said, “Time and again, Lalu Prasad ji and Tejashwi Yadav have said that the RJD is a party of A-to-Z caste and today it has been proved. At present, the situation in Bihar is pathetic and our State has become a labour hub as far as employment is concerned.”
He added, “Bihar needs an energetic Chief Minister like Tejashwi Yadav who has vision for its development.”
‘Anti-party activities’
Reacting to Mr. Kumar’s exit from the party, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said it was not unexpected.
At a press conference at the party office, he said, “The party leadership already felt his anti-party activities. Sanjeev Kumar was the mastermind behind the failed plot to topple the elected NDA government led by Bihar’s charismatic Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The EOU is investigating the entire matter,” Mr. Prasad said.
Calling Mr. Kumar an opportunist, Mr. Prasad asserted that despite his absence, over 10,000 JD(U) workers attended the NDA’s workers conference held in the Parbatta Assembly constituency on September 27.
“This proves that the party organisation and workers are strong even without opportunists like Sanjeev Kumar. Departure of leaders like Sanjeev Kumar will further strengthen the party. In 2025, the NDA will again form the government under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the dreams and development agenda of the people of Bihar will be fully realised,” Mr. Prasad said.
A senior JD(U) leader and MLC, requesting anonymity, said, “If the party was fully aware of his anti-party activities, why could the leadership not dare to take disciplinary action against him well in advance? On several occasions, he has spoken against the party-line. Why did the leader [Rajeev Ranjan Prasad] who held a press conference today speak [about it] before?”
Published – October 03, 2025 08:42 pm IST