JD(U)’s Anant Singh accompanies opposition JSP candidate to file nomination and calls for his victory in Bihar MLC election

Jan Suraaj MLC candidate Anuj Singh leaves to file his nomination for MLC election accompanied by JD(U) MLA Anant Singh in Patna on Thursday. | Photo credit: ANI

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MLA and bahubali (strongman) Anant Singh traveled in an open jeep on Thursday (October 1, 2026) to accompany opposition Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) candidate Anuj Singh as he filed his nomination papers for the upcoming Patuna State Parliamentary Assembly elections. Mr. Anant Singh declared that he would ensure Mr. Anuj Singh’s victory “at any cost”. The JD(U) is an ally of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar.

Mr Anant Singh, who represents the Mokama constituency in the Bihar Assembly, is defying party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar’s candidature for the seat, saying he is “ensuring the defeat of Neeraj Kumar at any cost as he tried to defeat me four times during the assembly elections”.

Eight Bihar State Legislative Council seats – four graduate and four teaching constituencies – will go to polls on October 23, 2026.

“I don’t know what the party line is because there is no need to fight for the party symbol in this (MLC) election. The fact remains that he (Neeraj Kumar) has opposed me four times in the assembly elections. So this time I will face him in the same way and ensure his defeat come what may,” Anant Singh told reporters while accompanying Mr. Anuj Singh.

Earlier, Mr. Anant Singh arranged breakfast and sweets for his supporters at his residence.

Dressed in his signature white trousers and shirt, wearing sunglasses, Mr. Anant Singh waved a towel at his supporters who had gathered in large numbers. They shouted slogans in support of former CM and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and Union Panchayati Raj Minister and JD(U) MP from Munger Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh. Mr. Anant Singh is said to be close to Mr. Lalan Singh; both belong to the upper caste Bhumihar community.

Mr. Neeraj Kumar was elected thrice from Patna Alumni Constituency. He was bitter that Mr Anant Singh had contested several times as an independent candidate from Mokama since 2015 and severed ties with the JD(U), sources said, while the party pitted Mr Neeraj Kumar against Mr Anant Singh from the seat, which the latter won by a comfortable margin.

The JD(U) recently held a meeting to broker peace between the two sparring leaders, but Mr Anant Singh, sources said, refused to budge on his stand and later told the media that he would continue to support JSP’s Mr Anuj Singh in the MLC election. “I have supported him (Mr. Anuj Singh) from the beginning and he will win the election for which I will pull my best even if it will not be necessary because the candidate will win the election with the support of the people…janta malik hai (the people rule),” said Mr. Anant Singh.

While top JD(U) leaders said the party was “watching developments” and would take a decision, the party has so far only announced the name of Mr. Neeraj Kumar as its candidate for the Patna Graduate Constituency.

“I will accept the party’s decision at any cost,” said Mr. Neeraj Kumar, adding, “I am a loyal soldier of the party led by Nitish Kumar and now by his son Nishant Kumar.”

“We are determined to ensure victory for all the eight candidates of the National Alliance (NDA) in the elections. He (Mr Anant Singh) should answer for himself,” senior leader and former JD(U) national general secretary Shyam Rajak said.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (September 29, 2026) announced the names of its candidates for four of the eight seats in the Bihar State Legislative Council. The JD(U) is fielding candidates for the remaining four seats.

The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) announced the names of six candidates to whom the Mahagathbandhan ally Congress expressed unhappiness that the RJD “announced the names unilaterally”. On September 20, 2026, JSP announced the names of five candidates.

The result of the biennial election will be announced on 27 October 2026. The terms of office of the eight incumbent members are set to end on 16 November 2026.

Published – 01 Oct 2026 16:42 IST