Bihar | Ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United (JD-U) has expelled 16 leaders for engaging in what the party describes as “anti-party activities” and violating its core principles. The expulsions, announced in two separate statements over the weekend, include high-profile figures such as a sitting MLA and two former ministers. These leaders have been linked to contesting elections as independent candidates or for rival factions, particularly against the official candidates of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Among those expelled is Narendra Niraj, also known as Gopal Mandal, the sitting MLA from Gopalpur in Bhagalpur district. Mandal, who has recently been embroiled in controversy, made headlines when he staged a protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Patna after learning that JD-U would not re-nominate him. Despite facing legal issues, including an FIR for defamation filed by a JD-U MP, Mandal attempted to seek re-election but was replaced by Bulo Mandal, a former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader. This led Mandal to file his candidacy as an Independent.
In addition to Mandal, other expelled leaders include Sanjeev Shyam Singh, a former Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and candidate for the Gurua assembly seat with Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, and former minister Himraj Singh, who is contesting independently from Katihar. Maheshwar Prasad Yadav, a former MLA from Gaighat in Muzaffarpur and the 2020 runner-up, has also been expelled after vocal criticism over JD-U’s choice of Komal Singh, a newcomer, as the party’s candidate in his seat.
Earlier expulsions included 11 leaders, such as former minister Shailesh Kumar, who is contesting as an Independent against JD-U’s official candidate in Jamalpur, and ex-MLAs Shyam Bahadur Singh and Sudharshan Kumar. All these leaders were accused of supporting rival candidates and opposing JD-U’s official nominees.
A senior JD-U leader remarked on the expulsions, saying that these individuals were acting against the party’s official candidates and undermining the party’s ideological stance.
Bihar’s 243-seat legislative assembly will go to the polls in two phases, on November 6 and November 11, with results expected on November 14. As the election season heats up, the JD-U appears determined to maintain discipline within its ranks to ensure its success in the polls.
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