Bihar politics: After denying Rajya Sabha seat to RCP Singh, JD(U) expels Ajay Alok, 3 others from party

Patna: After denying another term in the Rajya Sabha to Union minister RCP Singh, the ruling Janata Dal (United) has expelled its spokesperson Ajay Alok from the party, besides suspending state general secretaries Anil Kumar and Vipin Kumar Yadav from primary membership. Bihar JD(U) chief Umesh Singh Kushwaha told reporters here on Tuesday, "Party`s state general secretaries Anil Kumar and Vipin Yadav and spokesperson Ajay Alok are relieved of their posts and suspended from party`s primary membership. Party leader Jitendra Neeraj is also being suspended from the primary membership of the party. This decision has been taken to strengthen the party and maintain discipline in the party." 

The JD(U) statement said the leaders were expelled due to anti-party activities, adding "For the last few months, there were complaints about running programmes against the interests of the party and misleading the workers. Some office-bearers were asked to refrain from such actions, but despite this, anti-party activities continued."

Following his expulsion, Ajay Alok told PTI, "Badi der kar di meherbaan aate aate. I am thankful to the party for relieving me. It was a long association with the party and was a good experience. All my best wishes with you." 

The development comes days after JD(U) denied senior party leader RCP Singh`s re-nomination to Rajya Sabha. Singh was once considered a confidante of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. It is believed that the four leaders have been expelled due to their closeness with Union Minister RCP Singh, who was the only minister from the JD(U) quota in the NDA government.

RCP should heed message and resign from Union cabinet: Kushwaha

JD(U) Parliamentary Board Chairman Upendra Kushwaha also hinted that Singh should "heed the message" and resign from the cabinet, while responding to reporters here on Tuesday. He said, "There is no technical problem as such if he (Singh) continues in his chair. But if he heeds the message and reads the political situation, it would be nice if he resigns."

Kushwaha, a former Union minister himself, made it clear that he was not "offering any advice nor expressing any wish" but was "merely stating what is the most appropriate course of action". Asked what responsibilities Singh was likely to be given in the JD(U) if he gave up his cabinet berth, Kushwaha said, "It is for him to decide. The party has other things on its agenda."

About the expulsion of a number of perceived "RCP supporters", Kushwaha told PTI, "This makes it clear that nobody is above the party. Anybody who does not follow the party line will face the consequences."

Singh, who is perceived to have grown too close to ally BJP, is said to have miffed Kumar by not taking the latter's consent before accepting a ministerial berth at the Centre. Kumar has been opposed to "token representation" being given to allies by the BJP which enjoys a brute majority in the Lok Sabha.

Singh's induction into the Narendra Modi cabinet came a few months after the 2020 assembly polls in which the JD(U)'s tally plummeted, mainly because of the rebellion by the LJP then led by Chirag Paswan. The BJP came out with a tally far greater than that of the JD(U), for the first time since the alliance came to power in 2005. The JD(U) has since been working overtime to send across the message that diminished numbers in the assembly notwithstanding, the party and its leader were not pushovers.

Notably, RCP Singh is set to retire from Rajya Sabha on July 7. He will not be able to continue as Union Minister for more than six months once he ceased to be a Member of Parliament. 

(With PTI Inputs)