Bihar polls: Former Jehanabad MP Arun Singh joins JD-U

Patna, Oct 11 (IANS) Former Member of Parliament Arun Singh joined the Janata Dal United (JD-U) on Saturday, marking his return to the political fold of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after years of separation.

Singh, who represented Jehanabad Lok Sabha constituency, joined the JDU along with his son Rituraj Singh.

The induction took place in the presence of Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, JD-U Working President Sanjay Jha, State President Umesh Kushwaha, Water Resources Minister Vijay Chaudhary, Rural Works Minister Ashok Chaudhary, and other senior leaders of the party.

The joining of Arun Singh and his son had taken place before the seat-sharing formula in the NDA.

Arun Singh, a prominent leader from the Bhumihar community, was once a close associate of Nitish Kumar and had fought alongside him against the Lalu-Rabri regime.

However, he later drifted apart, contesting the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Jehanabad on Upendra Kushwaha’s party ticket and winning the seat.

Following Kushwaha’s merger with JD-U, Singh parted ways and later briefly joined Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party.

Party sources indicated that Rituraj Singh is likely to contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections from Ghosi constituency in Jehanabad district.

Speaking on the occasion, Lalan Singh said, “It is a great occasion when former MP Chandeshwar Prasad Chandravanshi and Arun Singh have come on one platform. With Arun Singh’s entry, our party will grow stronger in the Magadh division. It is a Ghar Wapsi for him.”

Notably, the two leaders had previously contested against each other in Jehanabad.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, JD-U’s Chandeshwar Prasad Chandravanshi lost to RJD’s Surendra Yadav.

JD-U Working President Sanjay Jha welcomed Arun Singh’s return, saying, “With his joining, JD-U has become stronger. Under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, the NDA will win the upcoming Bihar Assembly election and form the government once again.”

--IANS

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