Bihar: RCP Singh Says JD(U) Will Merge With RJD, Nitish Kumar Reacts

Speaking with reporters in Patna, RCP Singh said he was keeping 'all options open', including a formal entry into the BJP.

Former JD(U) national president RCP Singh

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Former Union Minister RCP Singh, whose exit from the JD(U) triggered its split with BJP in Bihar, said on Thursday "it is certain" that Nitish Kumar's party would merge with Lalu Prasad's RJD, ANI reported. Speaking with reporters in Patna, RCP Singh said he was keeping "all options open", including a formal entry into the BJP.

When asked if JD(U) will merge with RJD, RCP Singh said, "It's certain. What option do they have?"

"How many more times will he (Nitish Kumar) switch sides? He has already done that 4 times - in 1994, 2013, 2017 and 2022," ANI quoted Singh as saying.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar refused to comment on Singh's claims of a merger, saying, "Arrey chhoddiye (leave it)."

JD(U) chief Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh said only someone with a "tainted character and mind" could say this. "He says JD(U) will merge. Nitish Kumar and JD(U) gave him respect. He poses as a political stalwart. Who gave him identity? Nitish Kumar. He was made RS MP, party's national president. Only someone with a tainted character and mind can say this," ANI quoted Lala Singh as saying.

Earlier, when asked about his future political plans, RCP Singh said, "I have all options open." When pointedly asked whether he would like to join the BJP, he said, "Why not?"

RCP Singh resigned from the JD(U) last month after being served a notice seeking explanation on allegations of corruption. The bureaucrat-turned-politician also had to give up his ministerial berth after he was denied another Rajya Sabha term by the JD(U).

Singh maintained that Nitish Kumar "will not become the prime minister even if he were to be reborn seven times".

"These are not times of political instability in the country when Chandra Shekhar, H D Deve Gowda, I K Gujaral etc. could enjoy brief stints as PM," PTI quoted Singh as saying.

Singh, who had been accused by the JD(U) of having become a mole of the saffron camp, denied allegations of having acted against his former party's interests at BJP's behest in the 2020 assembly polls.

"Why was the alliance not called off immediately after assembly polls if there was sabotage (bhitarghaat)? Why did senior party leaders congratulate me if my becoming a minister was an act of defiance?", asked Singh.

The former Union minister alleged that Nitish Kumar "had made up his mind to betray the mandate of 2020 when people had voted the NDA back to power". "I am just being used as an alibi to justify yet another volte face," PTI quoted Singh as saying.