Anant Kumar Singh, a Janata Dal United MLA, accused his former ally Nitish Kumar of commissioning nine murders for political advantage in a statement made on 16 October 2026, an allegation that shocked the Bihar political arena.
The claim surfaced during a press briefing in Patna, where Singh cited personal grievances over the party’s decision to field rival Neeraj Kumar in the upcoming Legislative Council elections. He asserted that his loyalty to Nitish had earned him the right to eliminate opponents, citing past incidents involving Lalu Yadav’s administration.
JDU’s national spokesperson, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, slammed the remarks as “unfounded and unacceptable,” stressing that the party’s record is “clean and devoid of criminal collusion.” The spokesperson added that the party would not entertain any statements that could tarnish its image.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Shakti Singh Yadav seized the moment to accuse Singh of admitting political crimes, linking the allegations to Nitish’s alleged historic ties with criminal syndicates in Bihar’s eastern districts. Yadav’s comment echoed a long‑standing party narrative that Nitish’s rise was built on “banning and law‑enforcement” rather than violence.
Faced with backlash, Singh issued a retraction later that day, blaming Lalu Yadav’s government for the killings and claiming that nine of his associates were murdered while he himself was shot. He also mentioned personal loss, noting that his father succumbed to a heart attack amid the turmoil.
The scandal arrives just days before the biennial elections for eight seats in the Bihar Legislative Council, scheduled for 23 October 2026, with vote counting slated for 27 October. Parties are scrambling to tidy their ranks, and the JDU may face internal disciplinary proceedings as it prepares to defend its credibility in the upcoming polls.