Suspended Former Minister RK Singh Resigns From BJP Amid Crackdown on Bihar Rebel Leaders
New Delhi/Patna:
A day after securing victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has initiated strict action against dissident leaders in the state. Former Union Minister and senior Bihar leader RK Singh was among three members suspended for alleged anti-party activities. Shortly after receiving the notice, Singh resigned from the BJP’s primary membership.
Along with Singh, the party has also suspended Bihar Legislative Council member Ashok Agarwal and Katihar Mayor Usha Agarwal. All three have been issued show-cause notices by state party headquarters in-charge Arvind Sharma, who has demanded explanations within a week.
The letter states:
“You have engaged in activities that violate party discipline and have harmed the party’s interests. You are hereby suspended and asked to explain why you should not be expelled.”
According to sources, these notices are procedural, and expulsion is likely to follow.
RK Singh’s Growing Rift With The BJP
A former MP from Arrah, Singh has been openly critical of the BJP’s functioning in Bihar since losing the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Feeling sidelined, he repeatedly questioned the NDA’s leadership choices and raised concerns over the credibility of several alliance candidates.
He particularly targeted his party colleague and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. After Prashant Kishor levelled corruption allegations against Choudhary and state BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal, Singh accused both leaders of damaging the party’s reputation. He also referred to them as “murder accused” and urged voters to reject tainted candidates.
Singh further demanded clarity over Choudhary’s educational qualifications and criticised JDU’s Anant Singh, saying, “It’s better to drown in a handful of water than vote for them.”
Despite Singh’s attacks, both Choudhary and Jaiswal went on to win their respective seats.
A Long Political Career Ends Bitterly
RK Singh, a retired IAS officer from the Bihar cadre, served as Union Home Secretary under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He joined the BJP in 2013 and won the Arrah Lok Sabha seat twice, in 2014 and 2019. In 2017, he was appointed Minister of Power in the first Modi cabinet.
His political fortunes dipped after he lost the 2024 general elections, leading to increasing friction with the state leadership.
Singh’s resignation marks a significant exit as the BJP attempts to tighten discipline among its Bihar ranks following the assembly election win.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
