Rohini Acharya slams RJD over Sunil Kumar Singh's Bihar MLC nomination
Synopsis
Rohini Acharya has done something rare in Indian dynastic politics — publicly challenged a candidate her own party endorsed, and one reportedly close to her mother. Her X post alleging factionalism and betrayal by Sunil Kumar Singh exposes a quiet fault line inside the RJD between loyal grassroots workers and the established inner circle, even as Singh's election to the Bihar Legislative Council looks all but assured on numbers.
Key Takeaways
Rohini Acharya , daughter of Lalu Prasad Yadav , publicly opposed the RJD 's decision to field Sunil Kumar Singh for the Bihar Legislative Council elections on 8 June .
Rohini alleged Singh's conduct was marked by 'factionalism, sabotage, and betrayal' in a post on X .
She argued that loyal grassroots leaders from Dalit , Yadav , minority , and backward communities had been unjustly overlooked.
Despite the dissent, the RJD has stood by Singh, who is reportedly close to former CM Rabri Devi .
A candidate needs support of around 25 MLAs to win; the Mahagathbandhan 's assembly strength makes Singh's victory widely expected.
Rohini Acharya, daughter of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, publicly broke ranks with her own party on Monday, 8 June, sharply criticising the RJD's decision to field former MLC Sunil Kumar Singh as its candidate for the Bihar Legislative Council elections. Her dissent, aired on social media platform X, laid bare a rare instance of open intra-party friction within the Yadav family's political outfit.
The Nomination and What Triggered the Row
Sunil Kumar Singh filed his nomination papers at the Bihar Legislative Assembly in Patna on the final day of the nomination process, doing so in the presence of senior RJD leaders. The party's decision to back Singh — widely regarded as being close to former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi — was confirmed shortly before the deadline.
Within hours, Rohini Acharya posted her objections on X, alleging that Singh's political conduct was defined by 'factionalism, sabotage, and betrayal.' She accused him of maintaining ties with political opponents and of exploiting his proximity to the party's top leadership for personal gain.
Rohini's Core Charges Against Singh
Rohini went further, claiming that Singh's behaviour towards party workers and office-bearers had frequently been 'inappropriate and disrespectful.' She questioned the logic of renominating him, arguing that the task of strengthening the social justice movement and rebuilding party organisation should have been given to 'committed and loyal workers.'
She stressed that long-serving grassroots leaders from minority, Yadav, Dalit, backward, and other marginalised communities — who had remained steadfastly committed to Lalu Prasad Yadav's ideals since the party's founding — had been overlooked. This, she argued, had bred resentment among cadres and was not in the party's larger interest.
RJD Stands Firm Despite Internal Dissent
Notwithstanding the public criticism from within the first family, the RJD has reaffirmed its confidence in Sunil Kumar Singh. The party's calculus appears straightforward: according to the current arithmetic of the Bihar Legislative Council elections, a candidate requires the support of roughly 25 MLAs to secure a seat. Given the numerical strength of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in the state assembly, Singh's election is widely considered a near-certainty.
The RJD is assessed to be comfortably positioned to win one seat in this round of council polls, making the internal dissent more a question of party morale than electoral outcome.
Why This Matters for the RJD
This is not the first time Rohini Acharya has voiced criticism of party decisions, but publicly targeting a candidate endorsed by the leadership — including figures close to her own mother, Rabri Devi — marks an escalation. It surfaces a tension within the RJD between the old guard and those advocating greater representation for loyal grassroots workers.
The episode also raises questions about internal candidate selection processes in the party ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, where cohesion within the Mahagathbandhan will be critical. Whether the RJD leadership addresses Rohini's concerns or lets them pass without response will be closely watched by alliance partners and rival parties alike.
Point of View
And her target is a candidate backed by the party's own inner circle. What her post really surfaces is a structural problem the RJD has long deferred: whether social justice politics, its founding promise, is reflected in who the party actually rewards with tickets. The Bihar council polls are low-stakes electorally, but the optics of a Yadav family member accusing the party of sidelining Dalits, minorities, and backward communities could carry weight in a state where exactly those groups form the RJD's vote base. The leadership's silence in response will itself be a signal.
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Rohini Acharya criticise the RJD's nomination of Sunil Kumar Singh?
Rohini Acharya alleged that Sunil Kumar Singh's political style was characterised by factionalism, sabotage, and betrayal, and that he maintained ties with political opponents. She argued the nomination overlooked loyal grassroots leaders from marginalised communities who had long supported Lalu Prasad Yadav's movement.
Who is Sunil Kumar Singh and why was he nominated?
Sunil Kumar Singh is a former MLC and is widely regarded as being close to former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi. The RJD renominated him for the Bihar Legislative Council elections, and given the Mahagathbandhan's assembly strength, his election is considered highly likely.
What are the Bihar Legislative Council election rules for winning a seat?
A candidate needs the support of approximately 25 MLAs to secure a seat in the Bihar Legislative Council. The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan has sufficient numerical strength in the state assembly to comfortably win one seat in this round of polls.
Has the RJD responded to Rohini Acharya's criticism?
As of the reports available, the RJD has not publicly addressed Rohini Acharya's criticism. The party has reaffirmed its support for Sunil Kumar Singh's candidature despite her objections.
What does this episode reveal about the RJD's internal dynamics?
The public dissent highlights a tension within the RJD between the established inner circle and grassroots workers from Dalit, Yadav, minority, and backward communities who feel bypassed in candidate selection. It is a rare instance of open intra-party friction surfacing within the Yadav family's political orbit.
