Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary visits ICU-hospitalised JD(U) MLC Neeraj Kumar in Patna
Synopsis
Days before the Bihar Legislative Council election, JD(U) MLC and chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar is in the ICU with a heart-related complication — prompting a solidarity visit from CM Samrat Choudhary. But a rebel JD(U) MLA is calling it 'drama', openly backing a rival Jan Suraaj candidate and exposing a damaging intra-party rift at the worst possible moment.
Key Takeaways
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary visited Neeraj Kumar in hospital in Patna on 20 October 2026 after he was admitted to the ICU with a heart-related complication.
Neeraj Kumar is the JD(U) candidate for the Patna Graduates' constituency in Bihar Legislative Council elections scheduled for 23 October .
Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Choudhary and BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi were also present during the hospital visit.
JD(U) MLA Anant Singh called Kumar's illness 'drama' and is backing rival Jan Suraaj candidate Dr Anuj Singh , openly defying the party.
Vote-counting for the eight Bihar Legislative Council seats is set for 27 October .
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, visited a hospital in Patna to check on Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] MLC and party chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, who has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) following a heart-related complication. The visit comes just days before a high-stakes Bihar Legislative Council election in which Kumar is the JD(U)'s official candidate.
Senior Leaders Rally Around Kumar
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary and BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi accompanied the Chief Minister during the hospital visit. Samrat Choudhary spoke to the treating doctors about Kumar's condition and publicly wished him a speedy recovery. The Chief Minister also shared a photograph of the visit on social media platform X, reaffirming the party leadership's solidarity with its ailing spokesperson.
Neeraj Kumar remains under medical supervision, and details of his treatment and current condition have not been officially disclosed.
The Election Context: Patna Graduates' Constituency
Neeraj Kumar is the JD(U)'s nominated candidate for the Patna Graduates' constituency seat in the upcoming Bihar Legislative Council elections. The elections for eight Legislative Council seats are scheduled for 23 October, with vote-counting and results announced on 27 October. His hospitalisation has added an unexpected dimension to an already politically charged contest.
Rebel MLA Calls It 'Drama', Backs Rival Candidate
The crisis has exposed a sharp rift within the JD(U). Anant Singh, the JD(U) MLA from Mokama in Patna district, has openly broken ranks by backing Jan Suraaj candidate Dr Anuj Singh in the same constituency — campaigning directly against his own party's official nominee. Singh dismissed reports of Kumar's illness outright. 'Neeraj is neither ill nor does he have a fever; this is all just a drama,' Singh was quoted as saying, suggesting such episodes tend to surface during election periods and could be aimed at sidestepping campaign expenditure obligations.
Singh clarified that his support for the rival candidate stems from a personal dispute with Neeraj Kumar and is not a reflection of his broader relationship with the JD(U), though political observers note that publicly campaigning against the party's own candidate is a significant act of defiance.
Intra-Party Fault Lines on Display
Anant Singh's rebellion has brought internal JD(U) tensions into the open ahead of a constituency-level contest that would otherwise have attracted limited national attention. His public endorsement of a Jan Suraaj candidate — a party associated with activist Prashant Kishor — against the JD(U) nominee adds to the political complexity for the ruling alliance in Bihar. This is not the first time Anant Singh has been at the centre of intra-party controversy; his history of independent positioning within JD(U) is well documented.
With polling just days away, both the health of the official candidate and the loyalty of key party legislators will be closely watched by Bihar's political establishment.
Point of View
But Anant Singh's 'drama' allegation — however politically charged — forces a question the JD(U) would rather avoid: why is one of its own MLAs publicly campaigning for a rival party's candidate? The real story here is not Kumar's health but the erosion of JD(U) discipline in Bihar, where internal dissent is increasingly aired openly rather than settled within party channels. If Anant Singh faces no consequences for defying the party line, it signals a tolerance for rebellion that could embolden others before bigger elections.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Neeraj Kumar hospitalised in Patna?
JD(U) MLC and party chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar was admitted to the ICU at a Patna hospital following a heart-related complication. The exact details of his treatment and current condition have not been officially disclosed.
Why did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary visit Neeraj Kumar?
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary visited Neeraj Kumar on 20 October to enquire about his health and wish him a speedy recovery, accompanied by Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Choudhary and BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi. The visit also signals party solidarity with its candidate ahead of the 23 October Bihar Legislative Council election.
What is the Bihar Legislative Council election Neeraj Kumar is contesting?
Neeraj Kumar is the JD(U)'s official candidate for the Patna Graduates' constituency seat in the Bihar Legislative Council elections. Polling for eight seats is scheduled on 23 October, with results expected on 27 October.
Why is JD(U) MLA Anant Singh campaigning against his own party's candidate?
Anant Singh, JD(U) MLA from Mokama, is backing Jan Suraaj candidate Dr Anuj Singh citing a personal dispute with Neeraj Kumar. He has clarified that his move is not directed at the JD(U) as a party, though his open defiance of the party's official nominee has deepened factional tensions.
What did Anant Singh say about Neeraj Kumar's illness?
Anant Singh publicly dismissed reports of Kumar's hospitalisation as 'drama', alleging that such episodes tend to emerge during election periods and could be intended to avoid campaign expenditure obligations. His remarks are at odds with the party leadership's public concern for Kumar's health.
