A major political controversy has emerged in Bihar after Janata Dal (United) MLA Anant Kumar Singh publicly claimed to have masterminded the murders of nine individuals to assist former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during his early political career. The remarks, made while the MLA was criticising the party's decision to field his political rival, Neeraj Kumar, in the upcoming Bihar Legislative Council elections, have drawn sharp reactions from across the political spectrum.
In his initial statement, Anant Kumar Singh suggested that his loyalty to Nitish Kumar had required extreme measures during a period when the leader was struggling to establish his political base. “Nitish Kumar and I go back a long way. To help him, I got nine people murdered. I stood by him in times when he was struggling to find a toehold,” the MLA said. The comments were made as an apparent expression of frustration regarding the candidate selection for the upcoming polls, reflecting longstanding differences between the MLA and his rival, Neeraj Kumar.
The Janata Dal (United) was quick to distance itself from the MLA's statements. National spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad dismissed the comments, stating they were not worthy of serious consideration. Defending the reputation of the Chief Minister, Prasad asserted that Nitish Kumar has maintained an untainted record throughout his political career, free from any involvement in violence or associations with criminal elements. The party maintained that the remarks would not be taken seriously by the public.
The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) seized the opportunity to target the ruling government. RJD leader Shakti Singh Yadav alleged that the MLA’s initial statement amounted to an admission of political crimes. He argued that even if the remarks were later retracted, they raised questions about the manner in which the current administration consolidated its power through alliances with regional gangs. The RJD leader claimed that these associations spanned various districts, including Motihari, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, and the Mokama region.
Following the backlash, Anant Kumar Singh retracted his initial claims and altered his narrative, instead accusing the former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav of being responsible for the deaths of his associates. The MLA stated that during the tenure of the Lalu Yadav-led government, nine of his associates were killed and he himself was shot. He claimed these losses were a direct consequence of his alignment with Nitish Kumar, further alleging that the political atmosphere at the time led to immense personal suffering for his family.
The timing of these claims has intensified the political atmosphere in Bihar, which is currently heading toward the biennial Legislative Council elections. According to the Election Commission, the elections for eight seats are scheduled to be held on October 23, with the counting of votes set for October 27. As the election season progresses, the fallout from this controversy continues to be a point of friction between the JDU and opposition parties.
Analysts note that such outbursts are often linked to internal party pressures and grievances regarding ticket distribution. By bringing up his past alleged sacrifices, the MLA was attempting to question the leadership’s decision to nominate a political adversary. However, the resulting controversy has forced the party hierarchy to publicly address allegations of criminality, a narrative that the JDU is keen to distance itself from ahead of the upcoming electoral process.
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