RJD's Shivchandra Ram quits all party posts after MLC ticket denied
Synopsis
A tearful resignation at a Patna press conference has exposed fresh fault lines inside the RJD. Shivchandra Ram, the party's SC/ST Cell chief, quit all posts after being denied an MLC ticket that was reportedly promised to him — and he is not alone in his grievance. Lalu Prasad Yadav's own daughter had already questioned the same decision, making this a rare moment of public dissent within the Yadav family's political machine.
Key Takeaways
Shivchandra Ram , National President of the RJD's SC/ST Cell and former Bihar minister, resigned from all party posts on 8 June .
Ram said he had been assured an MLC ticket but was dropped at the last moment when the RJD finalised its candidate list.
The RJD nominated Sunil Kumar Singh — a close aide of former CM Rabri Devi — for the Bihar Legislative Council seat instead.
Rohini Acharya , daughter of Lalu Prasad Yadav , had earlier publicly questioned the decision to renominate Sunil Singh.
Political observers are watching whether the internal discord affects the RJD's organisational unity ahead of the MLC elections .
Senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar minister Shivchandra Ram resigned from all his party positions on Monday, 8 June, citing deep disappointment over being passed over for the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC) elections. Ram, who was serving as the National President of the RJD's SC/ST Cell, made the announcement at a hastily called press conference in Patna.
The Resignation and What Triggered It
Visibly emotional and breaking down before the media, Shivchandra Ram accused the party of failing to honour a commitment it had reportedly made to him. He said his name had been under serious consideration for the Legislative Council seat but was dropped without warning at the eleventh hour.
Ram said he had worked tirelessly for the RJD over the years, following every directive issued by the party leadership. Without naming any individual, he remarked that the truth about who genuinely holds influence within the party — and who does not — would eventually become clear.
Who Got the Ticket Instead
The RJD officially announced Sunil Kumar Singh as its candidate for the Bihar Legislative Council elections. Considered a close confidant of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Singh filed his nomination papers on the final day of the nomination process and is widely expected to return to the Legislative Council for a second term.
Signs of Broader Internal Discontent
Ram's exit is not an isolated incident. Earlier, Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya had also publicly questioned the decision to renominate Sunil Singh, signalling growing differences within sections of the party. The two episodes together point to simmering dissatisfaction over candidate selection within the RJD, particularly among leaders who feel the party's inner circle is too tightly controlled.
This comes amid a broader pattern of periodic internal churn within the RJD whenever ticket allocation decisions are made — a recurring fault line that has occasionally cost the party organisational cohesion ahead of key electoral contests.
What Happens Next
With the nomination process now closed, political observers in Bihar will be watching closely whether the latest round of internal dissent translates into any organisational fracture or voter-level impact ahead of the MLC elections. Shivchandra Ram's emotional departure from all party responsibilities has already sparked fresh political debate in the state, and his next move — whether he seeks accommodation elsewhere or returns to the fold — will be a significant indicator of the RJD's internal health.
Point of View
It is no longer a whisper of discontent — it is an organisational signal. The party's tendency to concentrate candidate choices within a tight inner circle has repeatedly generated this kind of fallout, yet the leadership has shown little appetite for a more transparent selection mechanism. With Bihar's political landscape growing more competitive, the RJD can ill afford to haemorrhage credibility among Dalit and backward-community leaders who see themselves as structurally sidelined whenever crunch decisions are made.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Shivchandra Ram resign from the RJD?
Shivchandra Ram resigned from all RJD party positions on 8 June after being denied an MLC ticket he says was promised to him. He accused the party of failing to honour its commitment despite his years of loyalty and service.
Who did the RJD nominate for the Bihar Legislative Council instead?
The RJD nominated Sunil Kumar Singh, a close confidant of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, for the Bihar Legislative Council seat. Singh filed his nomination on the final day of the process and is expected to serve a second term.
Is Shivchandra Ram's resignation an isolated incident within the RJD?
No. Rohini Acharya, daughter of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, had also publicly questioned the decision to renominate Sunil Singh, indicating broader dissatisfaction within the party over candidate selection for the MLC elections.
What role did Shivchandra Ram hold in the RJD?
Shivchandra Ram was serving as the National President of the RJD's SC/ST Cell and is a former Bihar minister. He was considered a senior organisational figure within the party.
What impact could this dissent have on the RJD ahead of the MLC elections?
Political observers are closely watching whether the internal discontent affects the RJD's organisational cohesion. With the nomination process now complete, the party's ability to contain the fallout will be a key test of its internal management ahead of the Bihar Legislative Council elections.
