JD-U MLC Neeraj Kumar takes jibe at Lalan Singh after Bihar MLC poll
Synopsis
JD-U MLC Neeraj Kumar's barbed remark about Union Minister Lalan Singh — 'If he hasn't congratulated me, how am I supposed to accept it?' — lays bare unresolved fault lines inside the party after a Bihar MLC poll in which JD-U won just one of five seats. A high-stakes review meeting on 5 November will confront not just the scoreboard but also a candidate's explosive claim that NDA leaders contributed to his defeat.
Key Takeaways
JD-U MLC Neeraj Kumar publicly jibed at Union Minister Lalan Singh on 31 October over an absence of congratulations after his election win.
The JD-U reportedly won one seat and lost four in the recent Bihar Legislative Council elections .
Bihar JD-U President Umesh Kushwaha has called a party review meeting on 5 November to examine election performance and internal differences.
JD-U candidate Abhishek Jha has alleged that certain NDA leaders contributed to his defeat — an allegation the November 5 meeting will formally address.
JD-U leader Nishant Kumar is scheduled to visit Uttar Pradesh on 1 November as part of the party's organisational expansion drive.
Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MLC Neeraj Kumar on Saturday, 31 October took a pointed jibe at Union Minister and senior party leader Lalan Singh, suggesting internal fault lines within the party have not healed following the Bihar Legislative Council elections. The remark came from Patna and adds fresh fuel to what party insiders acknowledge are unresolved differences at the leadership level.
The Remark That Stoked the Fire
When asked whether Lalan Singh had congratulated him on his win from the Patna Graduates' constituency, Neeraj Kumar replied pointedly: 'If he hasn't offered any congratulations, how am I supposed to accept them?' The response, while measured in tone, underscored the distance between the two leaders — a dynamic that has been building over what Kumar described as 'certain recent developments' taken seriously by both state and Central leadership. In the same breath, Kumar acknowledged Singh's seniority, noting that Singh has been associated with the organisation since the Samata Party era and currently serves as a Union Minister.
JD-U's Mixed MLC Election Scorecard
The Bihar MLC elections delivered an uneven verdict for the JD-U. The party reportedly won one seat and lost four, making Neeraj Kumar's Patna Graduates' victory an outlier that he described as 'important for the party's credibility.' JD-U candidate Abhishek Jha, who lost his seat, had publicly attributed his defeat to the role played by certain leaders within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — an allegation that will now come under formal scrutiny.
November 5 Review Meeting: What's at Stake
Bihar JD-U President Umesh Kushwaha has convened a review meeting on 5 November to assess the party's performance across all contested constituencies. The meeting is expected to examine the reasons behind the defeats, the factors behind the Patna win, and Abhishek Jha's allegations regarding NDA leaders' conduct during the campaign. Neeraj Kumar confirmed that 'all aspects of the election' would be placed on the table, making the conclave one of the more consequential internal exercises the party has undertaken in recent memory.
JD-U Eyes Uttar Pradesh Expansion
Separately, Neeraj Kumar expressed confidence about JD-U leader Nishant Kumar's scheduled visit to Uttar Pradesh on 1 November, calling it a positive step for the party's organisational build-out in the state. He credited Nishant Kumar's campaign presence across three locations during the Bihar MLC elections as a contributing factor to his own Patna Graduates' victory, praising the leader's 'broad public acceptance.' Kumar also noted that the NDA had performed well in Bihar under the leadership of Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and Health Minister Nishant Kumar, and expressed optimism about the party's prospects as it turns its attention westward.
What to Watch Next
The 5 November meeting will be closely watched by political observers in Bihar. Beyond a routine post-poll review, it is expected to surface deeper questions about intra-party discipline, NDA coordination, and whether the JD-U leadership can contain the public airing of internal differences before they harden into factional fault lines. The outcome could also shape how assertively the party moves in Uttar Pradesh.
Point of View
It could embarrass the broader alliance; if it is quietly buried, it will only deepen the grievance. The JD-U's Bihar credibility — and its ambitions in Uttar Pradesh — depend on whether the leadership can turn this review into genuine accountability rather than a managed damage-control exercise.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did JD-U MLC Neeraj Kumar say about Lalan Singh?
Neeraj Kumar took a pointed jibe at Union Minister Lalan Singh on 31 October, saying 'If he hasn't offered any congratulations, how am I supposed to accept them?' when asked whether Singh had congratulated him on winning the Patna Graduates' constituency seat in the Bihar Legislative Council elections.
What were JD-U's results in the Bihar MLC elections?
The JD-U reportedly won one seat and lost four in the Bihar Legislative Council elections, with Neeraj Kumar's win in the Patna Graduates' constituency being the party's sole victory. The mixed performance has prompted a formal review meeting on 5 November.
What is the JD-U's November 5 meeting about?
Bihar JD-U President Umesh Kushwaha has convened a review meeting on 5 November to examine the party's performance across all contested constituencies. The meeting will also take up candidate Abhishek Jha's allegation that certain NDA leaders played a role in his defeat.
Who is Abhishek Jha and what did he allege?
Abhishek Jha is a JD-U candidate who lost his seat in the Bihar Legislative Council elections. He publicly attributed his defeat to the role played by certain leaders within the NDA, an allegation that will be formally examined at the party's 5 November review meeting.
Why is JD-U leader Nishant Kumar visiting Uttar Pradesh on November 1?
Nishant Kumar's visit to Uttar Pradesh on 1 November is aimed at advancing the JD-U's organisational expansion in the state. Neeraj Kumar credited Nishant Kumar's campaign presence in Bihar with contributing to his own victory, calling him a leader with broad public acceptance.
