Patna: Just one day before voting begins in Bihar, the political atmosphere has heated up once again. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has faced a big blow as BJP leader and Lallan Kumar, the sitting MLA from Pirpainti assembly segment, has joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Lallan joined RJD in the presence of Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Wednesday.
After joining the RJD, Lallan Kumar met former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and shared photos with both her and Tejashwi Yadav on social media. Along with the pictures, he wrote, “May the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s caravan continue to grow. From today, I too have joined. We have all resolved to build a Tejashwi-dominated Bihar. Tejashwi is the present, Tejashwi is the future! Jai Bhim!” His post quickly went viral, with many political observers seeing it as a strong message of Dalit unity under the RJD’s leadership.
Lallan Kumar’s move came after the BJP decided not to give him a ticket this time and instead nominated Murari Paswan from the Pirpainti seat. This decision reportedly left Kumar deeply unhappy. His dissatisfaction with the party had been visible for some time, and finally, he announced his resignation from the BJP. In a Facebook post, he wrote, “My political journey with the BJP has now ended. Whatever I did for the party, I did with full loyalty. But now it seems the BJP no longer needs vocal Dalit leadership.” His statement has been seen as a sharp comment on the party’s approach towards Dalit leaders in Bihar.
Welcoming him into the party, Tejashwi Yadav said, “We welcome everyone who wants to change Bihar. Young leaders like Lallan Kumar, committed to social justice, are always welcome. Together, we will build a new Bihar.” His remarks show that the RJD is trying to bring more young and Dalit leaders into its fold before the election. Political experts believe that Lallan Kumar’s switch could influence the Dalit vote in Bhagalpur as well as in nearby regions like Seemanchal and Ang.
The BJP had previously won the Pirpainti seat in both the 2015 and 2020 Assembly elections, but this time, the situation looks uncertain.
