JD(U) deploys Lalan Singh to defuse Anant-Neeraj rift before Bihar Council polls
Synopsis
The JD(U)'s internal fracture over the Patna Graduates' constituency is older than it looks — rooted in a 2015 rivalry where Anant Singh contested against his own party. With the Bihar Legislative Council vote just days away and Anant Singh publicly backing the rival Jan Suraaj candidate, the party has deployed its heaviest fixer, Lalan Singh, to hold the line. The truce, for now, is fragile.
Key Takeaways
Mokama MLA Anant Singh publicly backed Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Kumar Singh for the Patna Graduates' constituency , defying the JD(U) party line.
The JD(U) appointed Union Minister Lalan Singh as mediator to resolve the dispute with Neeraj Kumar , its official candidate.
Lalan Singh acknowledged 'a lapse on the part of the state party leadership' dating to the 2015 Assembly election .
Anant Singh has agreed not to make further public statements against Neeraj Kumar ahead of the 23 October election.
JD(U) National Working President Sanjay Kumar Jha defended Lalan Singh's mediation role, signalling top-level backing for the dialogue approach.
Results for the Bihar Legislative Council election are expected on 27 October .
The Janata Dal (United) is scrambling to contain an internal feud between Mokama MLA Anant Singh and party candidate Neeraj Kumar ahead of the Bihar Legislative Council election on 23 October 2026, with senior leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh appointed as mediator to prevent the dispute from derailing the party's campaign in the Patna Graduates' constituency.
How the Dispute Became Public
The rift surfaced after Anant Singh publicly backed Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Kumar Singh, accompanying him during his nomination filing — a move widely read as a direct snub to the JD(U)'s official candidate Neeraj Kumar. Anant Singh also indicated he would not campaign for Kumar, effectively placing himself on the opposing side of the party's own contest for the Patna Graduates' seat.
What Lalan Singh Found
According to Lalan Singh, his conversations with Anant Singh revealed that the Mokama MLA harbours deep grievances rooted in the 2015 Bihar Assembly election. Anant Singh alleged that he had faced internal opposition and a campaign against him during that election and felt the party leadership should have intervened. Lalan Singh acknowledged there had been 'a lapse on the part of the state party leadership' and quoted Anant Singh as saying he 'would not seek votes for someone who had not sought votes for him.'
Despite the candid exchange, Lalan Singh said Anant Singh had agreed to refrain from making further public statements against Neeraj Kumar that could damage the party's prospects. He described his approach as facilitating reconciliation without taking sides.
Party Leadership Backs the Mediation
JD(U) National Working President and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha has publicly defended the decision to entrust Lalan Singh with resolving the dispute, saying the Union Minister 'had done what was best for the party.' Jha indicated the party was aware of the grievances between the two leaders well before they became public, and had proactively initiated the dialogue through Lalan Singh.
Roots of the Rivalry
The Anant Singh–Neeraj Kumar equation has been fraught since the 2015 Assembly election, when Anant Singh contested the Mokama seat as an independent after parting ways with the JD(U), at a time when the party had fielded Neeraj Kumar against him. That adversarial history now casts a long shadow over the current Legislative Council campaign, where the two find themselves on opposing sides once again.
What Happens Next
The Bihar Legislative Council election is scheduled for 23 October, with results on 27 October. Neeraj Kumar has filed his nomination for the Patna Graduates' seat, while Jan Suraaj has fielded Anuj Kumar Singh. The JD(U) leadership's immediate priority is maintaining organisational cohesion around Kumar's candidature and ensuring that the public truce brokered by Lalan Singh holds through polling day.
Point of View
Where personal grievances routinely outlast electoral cycles. Lalan Singh's candid acknowledgement of a leadership 'lapse' in 2015 is significant — it validates Anant Singh's version of events and sets a precedent for disgruntled legislators to extract public concessions by going rogue. The real risk for the JD(U) is not just one Council seat; it is the signal this episode sends to other MLAs weighing the cost of internal dissent against the party's disciplinary capacity ahead of a crowded electoral calendar.
NationPress
6 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the JD(U) dispute over the Patna Graduates' constituency?
Mokama MLA Anant Singh publicly backed Jan Suraaj candidate Anuj Kumar Singh for the Patna Graduates' seat, defying the JD(U), which has fielded Neeraj Kumar. The rift forced the party to appoint Union Minister Lalan Singh as mediator ahead of the 23 October Bihar Legislative Council election.
Why did Anant Singh back the Jan Suraaj candidate?
According to Lalan Singh, Anant Singh harbours grievances from the 2015 Bihar Assembly election, when he alleged that party leaders campaigned against him rather than supporting him at the Mokama seat. He reportedly told Lalan Singh he 'would not seek votes for someone who had not sought votes for him.'
What did Lalan Singh's mediation achieve?
Lalan Singh secured a commitment from Anant Singh to stop making public statements against Neeraj Kumar that could harm the party. However, Anant Singh has not withdrawn his support for the Jan Suraaj candidate, leaving the truce partial.
Who is Sanjay Kumar Jha and what is his role in the dispute?
Sanjay Kumar Jha is the JD(U) National Working President and a Rajya Sabha MP. He publicly endorsed Lalan Singh's mediation approach, saying Lalan Singh 'had done what was best for the party,' signalling that the party's top leadership is backing dialogue over disciplinary action.
When is the Bihar Legislative Council election for the Patna Graduates' seat?
The election is scheduled for 23 October, with vote counting set for 27 October. Neeraj Kumar has filed his nomination for the JD(U), while Jan Suraaj has fielded Anuj Kumar Singh.
