RJD Expels 27 Leaders for Anti-Party Activities as Bihar Election Approaches: NDA Partners Follow Suit

The Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bihar's main opposition to the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government, has expelled 27 leaders for a six-year period on Monday, citing anti-party activities as the reason for dismissal.

This decisive action comes during Bihar's Chhath festival celebrations and shortly before the state's upcoming two-phase elections scheduled for November 6 and 11, with vote counting set for November 14.

Among those expelled are current MLAs, former legislators, and significant party functionaries at both state and district levels.

According to party officials, the expelled members had either stood as independent candidates or actively campaigned against RJD's official nominees across various constituencies throughout the state.

In a parallel development on the same day, the BJP also removed four rebel leaders from their party for a six-year period, charging them with indiscipline and activities detrimental to party interests.

The current electoral alliance arrangement has both the BJP and JD(U) contesting an equal number of seats - 101 each. This marks the first instance since 2005 where both alliance partners are fielding candidates in an identical number of constituencies.

Previously, Nitish Kumar's JDU had expelled 16 rebel leaders over two days for conduct contrary to party interests.

The JDU's list of expelled members included prominent figures such as former Minister Shailesh Kumar, current MLA Gopal Mandal, former MLAs Shyam Bahadur Singh and Sudarshan Kumar, alongside several former MLCs and local party officials.

JD(U) state General Secretary Chandan Kumar Singh issued the formal expulsion orders, indicating that these leaders had acted against the interests of both the party and the alliance.

Political analysts interpret these coordinated expulsions as a strategic effort by NDA alliance partners to suppress internal dissent and project unity ahead of Bihar's crucial assembly elections.