Bihar Minister Shyam Rajak likely to join RJD ahead of Assembly polls

In a big set back to the ruling Janata Dal (U), Bihar Industries Minister Shyam Rajak may resign from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's cabinet and his party and is likely to join Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), sources said. This comes months before the scheduled Bihar Assembly elections. 

Sources say RJD is in touch with Rajak, who is unhappy with Ashok Choudhary's entry into JDU recently. Choudhary was the president of Congress' Bihar unit but now is a minister in the JDU-BJP coalition government.

Speaking to ANI on June 28 over the phone, Rajak said that he wanted to quit politics. However, he changed the plan after the leaders of JDU and BJP met him.

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Bihar assembly elections 

Bihar is going to polls in October-November this year. As BJP lost in Delhi, all eyes are set on former party chief Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar-led JDU. While Kumar faces strong anti-incumbency, RJD – Bihar's main opposition has lost the luster it once had due to the absence of it's chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Currently, the JDU-BJP combination rules the state with 131 seats, while RJD-Congress opposition has 111 seats.

The Election Commission has not yet taken a final call on poll dates in Bihar due to coronavirus pandemic and has sought suggestions from political parties.

(With ANI inputs)

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