PATNA: Former JD(U) president Ramchandra Prasad Singh, commonly known as RCP Singh on Wednesday claimed that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was going to merge his party JD(U) with Lalu Prasad-led RJD.
Singh, who was once considered number-2 in the JD(U) after Nitish but quit the party on August 6 this year just two days after he was asked by the party to give an explanation on his immovable properties (plots of land), also said that Nitish-led JD(U) would not win even a single seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, if it contests alone. “If Nitish Babu contests the 2024 Lok Sabha polls after merging his party into the RJD, they (the combined party) may get some seats. Some seats may come into their hands, but alone the JD(U) will get a big zero,” the former Union steel minister said.
Singh, a former bureaucrat, had to resign from the Union cabinet on July 6 this year on his birthday, just one year after joining the Narendra Modi government from his party’s quota, after he was denied a berth in the Rajya Sabha for third consecutive term.
“Today, Nitish Ji is projecting RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad as the future leader. This can be done only by Nitish Babu…. He (Nitish) thinks there is no such leader in his JD(U) who can be projected as the future leader, so he is projecting Tejashwi, a leader of his alliance partner. What does it mean? What is the motive of Nitish Babu? He is going to merge his entire party (into the RJD),” Singh said while responding to media queries at Muzaffarpur on Wednesday. Singh was on way to Darbhanga.
“Is there not a single leader or worker in the JD(U) who can be projected or promoted as the future leader? Does any leader of a party frequently talk about promoting the leader of another party?” RCP asked and said, “The meaning of such a move is ‘very clear’.”
On being asked what would be the fate of JD(U)’s current MLAs, if Nitish merges his party into RJD, Singh said, “Please ask from the JD(U) MLAs whether they are getting a sound sleep these days or not?”