PatnaSeptember 24, 2025 09:05 AM IST
First published on: Sep 24, 2025 at 09:00 AM IST
Senior BJP leader and former Union minister R K Singh on Tuesday created a flutter in Bihar’s political circles by demanding that Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and state BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal should either “come clean” on allegations levelled by Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor or “step down” from their respective positions.
In a series of conversations with media outlets, the 72‑year‑old bureaucrat-turned-politician said that continued silence by the said leaders “is damaging the party’s credibility”. Singh has been at odds with the party leadership since losing his Arrah Lok Sabha seat in 2024 and his remarks have come at a time when the NDA constituents are negotiating seat-sharing for the upcoming Assembly elections.
“Some serious charges have been levelled against them… Kishor has continuously said Samrat Choudhary is 7th fail, so he must show his degrees to the people… Otherwise, this is adversely affecting the credibility and image of the party,” Singh said, citing Kishor’s recent press conference in which the Jan Suraaj Party chief also accused several Bihar ministers and BJP-JD(U) leaders of graft and fraud.
“It is being said that Samrat Choudhary changed his name three or four times… Similarly, Dilip Jaiswal is being accused of murder,” he said, adding that the leaders should counter Kishor’s allegations legally or step down.
A retired 1975-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Bihar cadre, Singh retired from service as Union Home Secretary and joined the BJP in 2013. He won the Arrah Lok Sabha seat on BJP ticket in 2014 and 2019. He served in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet, most recently as Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister.
He lost the Arrah seat in 2024 to CPI(ML) leader Sudama Prasad by 59,808 votes. Since then he has been at odds with the NDA leaders in Bihar, including those of his own party. He even warned of campaigning against those who had worked against him.
Singh claimed to have told party president J P Nadda that he would oppose two sitting BJP MLAs – Amarendra Pratap Singh (Arrah) and Raghvendra Pratap Singh (Barhara) – if they were renominated. He also claimed to have cautioned JDU leaders regarding two former challengers-turned MLCs.
“I have made it clear to my party president as well as the JDU chief that I will oppose these individuals if they are given tickets… Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha, a man with a notorious criminal history… He had contested against me from the RJD and is now aligned with JDU. I have heard that JDU is considering giving him a ticket… if this happens, I will campaign against him. Another name is Radha Charan Shah, also from JDU, who has a controversial past… He was arrested by the ED and still made an MLC… I will actively campaign against him, too,” Singh said.
On any plan to contest on his own, Singh said he would only contest if “the party asks me”.
Meanwhile, JDU leader Ashok Choudhary on Tuesday served a Rs 100 crore defamation notice to Kishor for linking him with alleged dubious land purchases worth Rs 200 crore.