Anant Singh sparks Bihar political row over murder claims

Anant Singh, a Janata Dal (United) MLA from Mokama, Bihar, has sparked a political controversy following a claim that he “masterminded nine murders for Nitish Kumar.” The statement caused immediate friction within the JD(U) and drew sharp criticism from the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Singh later issued a clarification, stating his remarks were misunderstood. He asserted that he was not claiming to have ordered murders for the former Chief Minister, but rather was referring to the loss of nine of his associates who were killed during the tenure of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s government because of Singh's political support for Nitish Kumar. He described these deaths as a personal and political sacrifice made while standing by Kumar during his early political struggles.

The JD(U) has moved to distance itself from the remarks. Party spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad dismissed the claim as something the party “neither takes note of nor deems it appropriate to respond to,” emphasizing Nitish Kumar’s long-standing reputation for integrity and his lack of involvement in criminal activities.

The controversy comes amid internal tension within the JD(U), as Singh is reportedly campaigning for a Jan Suraaj candidate rather than the party’s official candidate, Neeraj Kumar, in the upcoming Bihar Legislative Council elections.