Patna: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union minister Rajkumar Singh, better known as RK Singh, returned to Ara on Saturday after a long absence, sparking political speculation with his remarks on the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
Responding to media queries in Ara, Singh said his potential candidacy would depend entirely on the party’s decision. “Whatever the party decides will be valid,” he said, leaving open the possibility of contesting from Ara.
Singh also came out in support of Bhojpuri actor and former independent candidate Pawan Singh, suggesting he should rejoin the BJP. “He had some legitimate concerns,” Singh said, referring to Pawan Singh’s fallout with the party before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. “He was initially offered a ticket, then asked to step back for another seat, and was denied again.”
Pawan Singh had been nominated from Asansol in West Bengal but withdrew, later contesting as an independent from Karakat in Bihar. His candidacy split the NDA vote, contributing to CPI-ML candidate Rajaram Singh Kushwaha’s victory over NDA’s Upendra Kushwaha, with Pawan Singh finishing second.
The BJP veteran’s return to Ara comes months after his defeat in the 2024 general elections, when he lost to CPI-ML’s Sudama Prasad by around 60,000 votes. His absence from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Bikramganj in May had raised eyebrows, but his presence at the party’s Chandravanshi convention on Saturday indicates renewed political activity.
