Patna: Former JD (U) MLA Dr Sanjeev Kumar from Parbatta formally joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Friday, hailing Tejashwi Prasad Yadav’s leadership and accusing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of losing grip on governance. The defection is being viewed as a significant blow to the JD(U) ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
At a public ceremony held at Gogri’s high school grounds in Khagaria, Sanjeev was welcomed into the RJD fold in the presence of senior party leaders, including MLAs Ramvriksha Sada and Chhatrapati Yadav. Though Tejashwi Yadav could not attend due to bad weather, he addressed the gathering via video link, calling Sanjeev’s move a boost for the opposition.
“I was in the JD (U) for 21 years, but Nitish Kumar is no longer the same leader. His mental state is deteriorating, and someone else is running the government. The JD (U) is no longer worth living in,” Sanjeev told supporters. He praised Tejashwi’s policies, claiming Nitish only implemented measures after the opposition leader proposed them.
Tejashwi, welcoming Sanjeev into the party, said, “Now Sanjeev Kumar from Parbatta has joined, and we have definitely become stronger. If our government is formed, every graduate will have a job, 200 units of electricity will be free, and Rs 2,500 will be given to every mother and sister through the Mai Behan Yojana.”
Sanjeev’s defection follows weeks of speculation after he expressed frustration with being sidelined in the JD(U). In 2020, he narrowly won the Parbatta seat, defeating the RJD by less than 1,000 votes. His exit is expected to sharpen the contest in Khagaria and the wider region as alliances consolidate.
