Last Thursday, sitting MLA of Mokama in Bihar and Janata Dal (U) leader Anant Singh was riding on an open jeep in Patna.
Wearing a white shirt and dark glasses, he was waving a yellow towel. The same Yellow Gamchha, which is linked to Prashant Kishor's party Jansuraj in Bihar politics. A few months ago, after winning the Bankipur by-election, supporters of Jansuraj raised slogans – Pitambardhari has arrived.
Actually, Anant Singh was waving this yellow towel during the nomination campaign of Jansuraj's candidate Anuj Singh. Anant Singh has announced his support to Anuj Singh from Patna graduate constituency.
This nomination journey started from Karpoori Banquet Hall, Daroga Rai Path, Patna. When this march passed in front of JDU office located at Veerchand Patel Path in Patna, slogans of 'Nitish Kumar Zindabad' were also raised.
Before this nomination tour, Anant Singh, while talking to journalists, said that Anuj Singh's victory is 200 percent certain.
He said, "The public is my master and always makes us victorious in elections. This time too the public will make Anuj Singh victorious with huge votes."
Elections are to be held for eight seats of the Legislative Council in the state, of which four are graduates and four are teachers constituencies.
These Bihar Legislative Council elections have become a litmus test for the strategists of JDU as a party. The reason is the two leaders of the party being face to face. These are- Anant Singh and Neeraj Kumar.
Only one image is of Bahubali, while the other is considered close to former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. On one hand, this situation created between the two has increased the problems of JDU, while on the other hand, it has made Patna Graduate seat a hot seat in this election.
Who is Anuj Singh, in whose support Anant Singh came out?
First let us know who is Anuj Singh, whom Anant Singh is supporting.
Anuj Singh is originally from Nawada. He is associated with the field of education and has contested elections from Nawada assembly constituency in the year 2025 on Jansuraj ticket.
57 year old Anuj Singh has studied from Magadh University. He did his PhD in Resource Geography in the year 2011. According to the affidavit filed in the year 2025, a case of molestation has been registered against him in Nawada Mahila Police Station.
Let us tell you that JDU has made Neeraj Kumar its candidate from Patna Graduate seat.
Neeraj Kumar's political journey started from Samata Party. He had contested Patna graduate constituency election in the year 2002, but was not successful. But later he got continuous success in the years 2008, 2014 and 2020.
When JDU MLA Anant Singh was asked that despite being from JDU, he was supporting Jansuraj's candidate, he said, "This election has nothing to do with the party. I am still a dedicated worker of JDU."
When did the dispute start between Anant Singh and Neeraj Kumar
JDU MLC Neeraj Kumar is a resident of Moldiyar Tola of Mokama. Anant Singh is a resident of Nadwa village. The distance between both the villages is approximately 25 kilometers.
The year of dispute between the two is considered to be 2015, when there was a contest between Anant Singh and Neeraj for the Mokama assembly seat.
In the 2015 assembly elections, Anant Singh had contested as an independent candidate from Mokama seat, while Neeraj Kumar had contested as a JDU candidate. In this election, Anant Singh defeated Neeraj Kumar by more than 18 thousand votes.
Earlier in the years 2005 and 2010, Anant Singh had contested elections on JDU ticket and won. But in June 2015, he was arrested in a kidnapping case that took place in Barh area. After which Anant Singh resigned from the party in September 2015.
In the year 2020, Anant Singh had contested the assembly elections on the ticket of Rashtriya Janata Dal i.e. RJD. Then JDU had made Rajiv Lochan its candidate. In this election also, Anant Singh defeated Rajiv Lochan. However later Anant Singh joined JDU.
Local journalist Anubhav Singh told BBC, "When Anant Singh was taking entry in JDU before the 2025 assembly elections, Neeraj Kumar had opposed it. Later he said that a criminal like Anant Singh would not get the ticket, but Anant Singh got the ticket and he also won."
This time too, as the Legislative Council elections approach, Anant Singh and Neeraj Kumar are continuously making statements against each other. Neeraj Kumar keeps criticizing Anant Singh for his Bahubali image.
On the other hand, Anant Singh says, "When he (Neeraj Kumar) opposed me in the assembly elections, why was nothing said from the party (JDU)."
Will Lalan Singh solve the matter?
This situation is of confusion for JDU. The party had called a meeting regarding this on September 7, but Anant Singh and Neeraj Kumar did not agree.
After Anant Singh's involvement in Anuj Singh's nomination on Thursday, the party's working president Sanjay Jha said, "This matter is in the cognizance of the party, which is related to the area of Union Minister Lalan Singh. The party has entrusted the responsibility of solving the matter by talking to Lalan Singh, Neeraj Kumar and Anant Singh. The party will also consider the remaining election issues raised by Anant Singh."
Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh is MP from Munger. Mokama assembly constituency also comes in Munger.
Nominations for the Legislative Council elections to be held in the state on October 23 are to be made till October 6 and nominations can be withdrawn till October 9. Counting of votes will take place on October 27.
Murder of Dularchand Yadav and Jansuraj
It is interesting to see that Dularchand Yadav was murdered in Mokama before the 2025 assembly elections.
Dularchand Yadav was known as Baahubali in the 1980s and 1990s.
Dularchand Yadav was campaigning for Jansuraj's candidate Priyadarshi Piyush in the 2025 assembly elections, when he was murdered.
Anant Singh had gone to jail in the murder case of Dularchand Yadav. Now the same Anant Singh is supporting Jansuraj's Patna graduate candidate Anuj Singh.
Priyadarshi Piyush, who was a candidate of Jansuraj, tells BBC, "I am against everyone who is being supported by Anant Singh. But I have not yet decided whether I will support Neeraj Kumar or RJD candidate Dilip Patel. Otherwise, I am isolated in Jansuraj. Prashant Kishore ji has already said that people keep coming and going in the party."
There are 28 criminal cases pending against Anant Singh. Out of which charges have been framed in only four cases. A case has been registered against Anant Singh under the Arms Act for murder, attempt to murder.
When Prashant Kishore was asked about this on Thursday, he said, "When the entire society is standing in support of Jansuraj, in support of change, then what is the big deal if Anant Singh is standing in it?"
