Bihar Chief Minister and JD (U) President Nitish Kumar and Ramchandra Prasad Singh (RCP Singh) in 2020. File Image | Photo credit: The Hindu
Former Union minister and estranged aide to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Ramchandra Prasad Singh, is hopeful that things will fall into place in the coming days. He is also set to return to the Janata Dal (United).
Speculations about rejoining the party emerged after both Mr Kumar and Mr Singh attended a Kurmi community program last month. A former IAS officer, Mr. Singh told The Hindu that he had never left the party and since he has experience with Nitish Kumar for almost 25 years, his induction will help the party and the organization to grow.
He expressed his willingness to rejoin JD-(U). The JD(U) had earlier issued a show cause notice following its closeness with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Later, Mr. Singh quit JD(U) in August 2022 and joined BJP.
Mr Singh said, “More than me, JD (U) workers and party leaders are excited to see me in the party. If they want me to come back to the party, do you think I should say no? I have been with Nitish ji for more than 24 years.”
Mr. Singh resigned from the party saying that the JD(U) was a sinking ship and Nitish Kumar would never become the Prime Minister.
Mr. Singh explained that there is a large section of voters who do not want to go with either the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“These voters always want to go with nitish ji and JD(U) is my natural place because I have worked in the party and in the organization. You can do politics only where there are like-minded people. Today’s politics is alliance politics where things change according to the situation but the social mix in JD(U) suits people like us. The best part of JD(U), there is no extremism.” said Mr. Singh.
Mr. Singh was once considered close to the Chief Minister as both hailed from the same district, Nalanda. A former Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer, he has served in various capacities and on central deputation in the past. He first came in contact with Mr. Kumar, then the Railway Minister.
He was Principal Secretary to Bihar CM when Mr. Kumar came to power in Bihar in 2005. He took voluntary retirement in 2010 and joined the JD(U) and went to the Rajya Sabha twice.
Two senior JD(U) leaders have openly opposed RCP Singh’s return to the party, including JD(U) leader and union minister Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh and Bihar minister Shravan Kumar.
Mr. Rajeev Ranjan Singh argued that there was no need for a person responsible for downsizing the party, while Mr. Shravan argued that the party did not need a leader who had earlier questioned the health of the CM and his leadership.
Asked about the possible reason why Mr. Rajeev Ranjan Singh and Mr. Shravan opposed his entry, Mr. Singh said, “Everyone has their own opinion, but I have worked with both of them and I have no problem with anyone. I had a very good relationship with both Lalan babu or Shravan Ji. My presence will benefit the party and I believe the organization will be strengthened. The strength will increase.”
The bitterness started in 2021 when the RCP was inducted into Narendra Modi’s cabinet, which did not go down well with Mr Kumar and suspected him of being with the BJP and also plotting sabotage.
Then Mr. Singh was forced to resign as JD(U) national president within months of becoming party president, and rejection of another Rajya Sabha term a year later saw him relinquish the ministerial berth.
In October 2024, RCP formed its own political party, Aap Saabki Aawaz (ASA), in October 2024, however, ahead of the June 2025 parliamentary elections, RCP merged its party with Jan Suraaj Prashant Kishor’s party.
Mr. Singh’s younger daughter, Lata Singh, unsuccessfully contested the assembly elections from Asthawan Assembly in Nalanda district. She managed to get only 15962 votes.
Published – 23 Feb 2026 01:00 IST
