Patna: Senior Janata Dal (United) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP K.C. Tyagi has resigned from the party, dealing an immediate political blow to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar just a day after its success in the Rajya Sabha elections.
Tyagi, who served as an adviser to the Janata Dal (United), confirmed his exit in a written statement on Tuesday, saying he had chosen not to renew his party membership following the conclusion of its organisational drive.
His departure has fuelled speculation about a possible shift to another political formation, with sources suggesting he may now turn his attention towards politics in Uttar Pradesh.
Tyagi had been associated with the JD(U) since its formation in 2003, following the merger of the Samata Party and the Janata Dal. Over the years, he held key organisational roles, including national general secretary and chief spokesperson, and worked closely with senior leaders such as George Fernandes and Sharad Yadav, in addition to Kumar.
In his statement, Tyagi said his ideological commitments remained unchanged, particularly on issues concerning Dalits, farmers and agricultural labourers. He also emphasised that his personal respect for Kumar, whom he described as a colleague of nearly five decades, remained intact.
Tyagi indicated that he would outline his future political course at a meeting in New Delhi on March 22. He added that his politics would continue to be guided by the principles of socialist leaders such as Ram Manohar Lohia, Charan Singh and Karpoori Thakur.
His exit comes after a period of diminishing influence within the party. He was removed from the post of national spokesperson last year, and the JD(U) had on multiple occasions distanced itself from his public remarks. The party had also objected to his recent unilateral demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Kumar.
