Patna: The Janata Dal (United) suffered a significant setback as Bhagalpur MP Ajay Kumar Mandal announced his resignation, citing neglect by the party leadership ahead of the Bihar assembly elections.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and senior party officials on October 14, Mandal accused the JD(U) of sidelining him and disregarding his advice on candidate selection in his constituency. “My opinion is being ignored in my constituency,” he wrote, expressing frustration over ticket distribution and the apparent disregard for local party workers’ contributions.
Mandal, who has served the party and public for over two decades, said that proposals submitted by the district president and committee were dismissed, while individuals with little organisational work were being given preference. “Dedicated workers in the organisation are being consistently ignored,” he added, emphasising that such practices made it increasingly difficult for him to continue within the party.
The MP stated he had never publicly opposed the party line but felt compelled to resign in response to the ongoing marginalisation. His resignation marks a major blow to the JD(U) as it prepares for the upcoming assembly elections.
