Patna: In a significant political development ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, senior minister Ashok Choudhary visited the residence of former MLA Anant Singh on Tuesday. The two leaders engaged in lengthy discussions covering election strategy and possible candidature.
Sources close to the meeting revealed that the conversation revolved around seat allocation and the broader electoral roadmap. In a somewhat unusual moment, Singh also showed Choudhary his prized buffaloes, reportedly worth lakhs, at his residence. Despite the light-hearted atmosphere, the interaction underscored Singh’s renewed active role in the upcoming polls.
Anant Singh has been holding a series of meetings with key leaders of the ruling Janata Dal (United) in recent days. Just two days prior, he met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and later called on Union Minister and senior JDU leader Lalan Singh. Political observers interpret these engagements as Singh positioning himself for a ticket in the elections.
However, the JDU has so far kept all candidatures under wraps. Spokesperson Neeraj Kumar refrained from confirming any names and appeared to indirectly address Singh’s fluctuating political claims, saying, “Sometimes he wants to contest with a lantern, sometimes with JDU, sometimes independently.” Kumar also lamented the party’s poor performance in Mokama during the recent Lok Sabha elections, while defending Nitish Kumar’s leadership as visionary.
Since his release from jail on August 6, Anant Singh has returned to his stronghold in Mokama, where he received a warm welcome from supporters. Large crowds gathered in Dahaur and Bhuvaneshwari Chowk, Barh, greeting him with flower garlands and traditional band music.
