JD-U expels Chhotu Singh for 6 years over anti-party activities in Bihar
Synopsis
JD-U's six-year expulsion of Chhotu Singh — a long-time party insider and government appointee — lays bare the fault lines within Bihar's ruling party just as State President Umesh Kushwaha reshapes its organisational structure. Singh's silence after the action, and his history of past reconciliation, leaves his next political move an open question.
Key Takeaways
JD-U Bihar State President Umesh Kushwaha expelled Arvind Kumar Singh (Chhotu Singh) from the party's primary membership for six years on 10 July .
Singh served as General Secretary of the Bihar State Citizens' Council , a post to which the Nitish Kumar government had appointed him last year.
The expulsion reportedly followed his exclusion from the party's new 153-member Bihar state executive committee and a heated exchange with JD-U National Working President Sanjay Kumar Jha .
Singh had previously resigned from the state executive about eight years ago over a denied MLC ticket , only to return after persuasion by then State President Vashishtha Narain Singh .
Following the expulsion, Singh has made no political statement, posting only about his paternal uncle's funeral on social media.
The Janata Dal (United) has expelled Arvind Kumar Singh, popularly known as Chhotu Singh and serving as General Secretary of the Bihar State Citizens' Council, from the party's primary membership for six years, citing alleged anti-party activities. The disciplinary order was issued by JD-U Bihar State President Umesh Kushwaha on 10 July, marking one of the more significant internal actions within the ruling party in recent months.
Background to the Expulsion
According to party sources, Chhotu Singh's troubles with the leadership intensified after he was excluded from the newly constituted Bihar state executive committee headed by Kushwaha — a panel comprising 153 office-bearers, including 12 Vice-Presidents, 38 General Secretaries, 74 Secretaries, heads of 15 party cells, and 9 spokespersons. His exclusion from the revamped structure reportedly triggered a heated exchange with JD-U National Working President Sanjay Kumar Jha, after which disciplinary action was said to be imminent.
In the weeks leading up to the expulsion, Singh was reportedly barred from attending official party programmes and from participating in ministers' public grievance hearings at the JD-U office. The party has not publicly detailed the specific incidents beyond the broad charge of anti-party conduct.
Singh's History Within JD-U
Chhotu Singh is regarded as a close associate of senior JD-U leader and minister Ashok Choudhary and was a familiar presence at events attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He has been affiliated with the party's organisational structure for several years. The Nitish Kumar-led government had appointed him as General Secretary of the Bihar State Citizens' Council last year.
Notably, this is not the first time Singh has found himself at odds with the party hierarchy. Approximately eight years ago, he resigned from the state executive committee after reportedly being denied a Legislative Council (MLC) ticket. He later withdrew that resignation following persuasion by then JD-U State President Vashishtha Narain Singh. The current expulsion, however, carries a formal six-year bar — a considerably more severe outcome.
Singh's Response
Following the announcement of his expulsion, Chhotu Singh has not issued any public political statement. Instead, he took to social media to share news of the passing of his paternal uncle Shrikrishna Singh, a former Head of Department at A.N. College, and posted photographs of himself attending the funeral rites — a conspicuous silence on the political front.
What This Signals for JD-U
The expulsion comes immediately after the JD-U rolled out a sweeping reorganisation of its Bihar unit under Kushwaha. The action against Singh underscores the leadership's intent to enforce internal discipline as the party consolidates its organisational structure ahead of future electoral cycles. Whether Singh, given his past pattern of reconciliation, will eventually seek reinstatement or chart an independent political course remains to be seen.
Point of View
Ashok Choudhary associate, and Nitish Kumar event regular — makes this a pointed message to the party's second-tier. The six-year bar is unusually long for what is publicly framed only as 'anti-party activities,' suggesting the internal fracture runs deeper than disclosed. Bihar politics has a long tradition of expelled insiders returning; whether Singh follows that script or becomes a liability for a rival formation will be worth watching as the state approaches its next electoral test.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Chhotu Singh expelled from JD-U?
Chhotu Singh was expelled from the Janata Dal (United) for six years on 10 July over alleged anti-party activities. Party sources indicate the action followed his exclusion from the newly constituted Bihar state executive committee and a reported altercation with JD-U National Working President Sanjay Kumar Jha.
Who is Chhotu Singh and what was his role in JD-U?
Chhotu Singh, formally known as Arvind Kumar Singh, served as General Secretary of the Bihar State Citizens' Council, a post to which the Nitish Kumar-led government had appointed him. He is a long-time JD-U affiliate and close associate of senior leader and minister Ashok Choudhary.
Has Chhotu Singh been in conflict with JD-U before?
Yes. Approximately eight years ago, Singh resigned from the JD-U state executive committee after reportedly being denied an MLC ticket. He withdrew the resignation after being persuaded by then State President Vashishtha Narain Singh, making the current six-year expulsion a significantly more severe outcome.
What was the JD-U state executive restructuring that preceded the expulsion?
JD-U State President Umesh Kushwaha announced a new Bihar state committee comprising 153 office-bearers, including 12 Vice-Presidents, 38 General Secretaries, 74 Secretaries, heads of 15 party cells, and 9 spokespersons. Chhotu Singh was not included in this revamped structure.
How has Chhotu Singh responded to his expulsion?
Chhotu Singh has not issued any public political statement following the expulsion. He posted on social media about the death of his paternal uncle, Shrikrishna Singh, a former Head of Department at A.N. College, and shared photographs from the funeral — maintaining silence on the party's decision.
