Answering questions about rumors of a major organizational change in JD (U), Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, avoided answering questions on Thursday over reports of a significant organizational shift inside his Janta Dal (U) in advance of the two-day party summit that will start later in the day in Delhi. In a quick interview with reporters before to taking out for Delhi, the leader of JD (U) said that the party meeting there was “normal.”

These gatherings happen annually. It’s typical; nothing remarkable is present. During the two-day party conclave, when media asked the chief minister about rumors of a significant organizational reform in JD(U), he said, “These are routine meetings.”

His statement was made against the background of speculation that Rajiv Ranjan Singh “Lalan,” a close assistant of Kumar, had informed the former that he intended to resign as the national president of JD(U).

When asked whether Lalan was expected to formally submit his resignation at the JD(U)’s critical meetings in Delhi on December 29, the CM chose not to respond directly. The CM sidestepped inquiries over reports that he was joining the NDA as well.

His attention was also called to a statement made by senior BJP politician Sushil Kumar Modi, who had deep personal ties to Kumar as a former deputy chief minister, asserting that the JD(U) supreme leader was becoming more concerned about the party chairman’s tight relationship with his ally and was afraid of sabotage.

The BJP leader said that the JD(U) was purposefully disseminating “speculations” on Kumar’s potential return to the NDA camp as part of his strategy to hold his Grand Alliance allies, the RJD, and the Congress, in check in Bihar. He had said, “But the truth is that Nitish Kumar’s (the BJP’s) doors have been closed for him.”