Jamui/Patna: An NDA workers’ conference in Bihar’s Jamui district turned unruly on Saturday when supporters of two senior figures — minister and independent MLA Sumit Kumar Singh, and former JD (U) MLC Sanjay Prasad — clashed on stage.
The event, held in Chakai assembly constituency, had been planned for weeks as part of the NDA’s outreach drive. But as the programme began, tensions quickly escalated. According to eyewitnesses, Sanjay Prasad questioned Singh’s presence on the dais, reportedly asking, “In what capacity is he on the stage?” Singh, who became a minister by supporting Nitish Kumar’s government, reacted sharply.
Within moments, their supporters stormed the platform, trading blows, waving party flags and lathis. Police and bodyguards struggled to control the melee, while local residents eventually stepped in to calm tempers.
The cause of the confrontation remains unclear, though accounts vary. Some attendees said the clash began over speeches, while others claimed it was triggered by a dispute over seating arrangements.
Prasad, who is seen as close to senior JDU leader Lallan Singh, is believed to be preparing to contest the upcoming assembly polls from Chakai. Singh, meanwhile, holds the assembly seat as an independent and has consolidated his position within the NDA as a cabinet minister.
The altercation underscores simmering rivalries within the NDA ranks in Bihar, just as the alliance ramps up preparations for next year’s assembly elections.
