Patna: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has faced another major shock after its recent election defeat, as senior leader and former MP Vijay Krishna has announced his resignation from the party. Krishna, a well-known figure in Bihar politics, sent his resignation directly to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad. In his letter, he stated that he was stepping away from both party politics and active political life. The decision has deepened the crisis within the RJD, which is already struggling to regain its footing.
Vijay Krishna, aged 74, is remembered for his dramatic 2004 victory over Nitish Kumar in the Barh Lok Sabha constituency. At that time, Nitish Kumar was a JD(U) candidate, and Krishna’s win created a big political buzz. A former minister in several Bihar governments, he clearly stated in his letter that he was resigning from the primary membership of the RJD and from all organisational posts. He also requested that Lalu Prasad accept his resignation at the earliest.
His long political career has seen several twists. After being denied a ticket by the RJD in 2009, Krishna briefly joined the JD(U), although he returned to the RJD just a year later. His career took a difficult turn when he was accused in a murder case. In 2013, he, along with three others, was sentenced to life imprisonment. He spent years fighting the case and was finally acquitted in 2022, almost a decade after going to jail.
Krishna began his political journey in 1977 as state general secretary of the Janata Party. He later won the Barh assembly seat twice, in 1990 and 1995, as a Janata Dal candidate. He also served as a minister in the Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi governments. Although he lost to Nitish Kumar in the 1999 elections, he made a strong comeback in 2004 by defeating him in Bhagalpur as an RJD candidate. His exit from politics now marks the end of a long and eventful career and leaves the RJD with yet another challenge at a critical time.
