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JDU-BJP Rift, Tejashwi’s Birthday Wishes, New Twist To Bihar Politics: Friction stems from JDU’s electoral performance, allegations of sabotage and BJP’s welcome for JDU opponents
Nitish Kumar’s party leaders have acknowledged structural lapses. (File)
Even as the alliance between Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit a rough patch following the recent Legislative Council (MLC) elections, the birthday wishes for Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Tejashwi Yadav have added another twist to Bihar’s politics.
The friction in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) stems from the JD(U)’s poor electoral performance, allegations of internal sabotage by alliance partners, and a controversial move by the BJP to embrace Independent winners who defeated JD(U) candidates, say analysts.
BJP-JDU RIFT: THE CORE ISSUES
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) contested eight MLC seats (four each by BJP and JD(U)) but managed to win only three. JD(U) won just one seat, suffering major losses. Defeated JD(U) candidates and party members openly alleged that alliance partners did not campaign for them, leading to internal distrust.
What most aggravated the JD(U) leadership was the BJP’s quick move on October 31 to welcome two newly elected Independent MLCs, Rahul Raj (Saran Teachers) and Bansidhar Brajwasi (Tirhut Graduates) — Rahul Raj, a BJP rebel who defeated JD(U)’s Pushkar Anand; Bansidhar Brajwasi defeated JD(U)’s Abhishek Jha.
JD(U) leaders publicly questioned how the BJP could induct candidates who ran against official NDA nominees. Furthermore, under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, an independent lawmaker can face disqualification for formally joining a political party after election. The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) immediately petitioned the Council Chairman for their termination.
DAMAGE CONTROL
At A Glance
The National Democratic Alliance contested eight MLC seats but managed to win only three, with the JD(U) securing just one seat.
Bihar BJP State President Sanjay Saraogi and two newly elected Independent MLCs backtracked after legal threats regarding formal political party joining rules under the Tenth Schedule.
Senior JD(U) leaders Sanjay Jha, Vijay Kumar Choudhary, and Nishant Kumar extended public birthday greetings to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on November 9.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan made a sudden visit to Sanjay Jha’s residence in Patna following the birthday greetings to discuss managing alliance relations.
Following the legal threats and public pushback from JD(U), both parties have engaged in rapid damage control. To avoid disqualification and calm the JD(U), Bihar BJP State President Sanjay Saraogi and the two MLCs backtracked, altering their stances to claim they only “extended support” to the BJP rather than formally joining the party.
Nitish Kumar’s party leaders have acknowledged structural lapses. According to News18 Hindi, senior JD(U) minister Shravan Kumar admitted that trust was broken, saying, “Kahan bharosa tuta aur kaise patch-up kar sakte hain?” Kumar, however, noted a high-level review is underway to sort out the lapses and irregularities.
BJP spokesperson Manoj Sharma, however, rejected any narrative of long-term strain, asserting that “all is well” and pointing out that all NDA partners have continued to attend joint meetings and local outreach programs together.
Despite rumours of JD(U) exploring a return to the Mahagathbandhan, JD(U) leaders have categorically denied any plans of shifting back to the RJD, affirming that the double-engine NDA government under Nitish Kumar will remain intact in Bihar.
WISHES FOR TEJASHWI YADAV & IMPACT
Senior Janata Dal (United) leaders actively extended birthday greetings to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on November 9, which intensified political speculation amidst the ongoing JD(U)-BJP rift. While birthday wishes are often standard political courtesy, the specific alignment of who sent wishes—and who did not—has raised eyebrows in Bihar’s political circles.
Three prominent faces of Nitish Kumar’s party sent highly visible birthday greetings to the Leader of the Opposition: Sanjay Jha, JD(U) Working National President; Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Senior JD(U) Minister; Nishant Kumar, rising JD(U) leader.
Political analysts note that this coordinated move may be a calculated political message to the BJP, highlighting that the JD(U) retains alternative political channels if cooperation within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) deteriorates.
Adding to the contrast, no top Bihar BJP leaders extended public wishes to Tejashwi Yadav. Even standard, formal courtesies from figures like Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary were noticeably absent, underlining a stark difference in strategy between the two alliance partners.
The birthday wishes immediately triggered swift backchannel interactions. Shortly after Sanjay Jha posted his birthday greetings, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan made a sudden visit to Jha’s residence in Patna. Officially, Pradhan was in Patna to distribute wedding invitations for his daughter’s upcoming marriage. However, given the timing and the broader context of the Legislative Council debacle, the meeting was widely interpreted as an immediate political discussion to keep the alliance intact and manage the fallout.
This calculated display of cordiality toward the RJD leadership by the JD(U) indicates that the friction caused by the MLC election outcomes is far from resolved, forcing the BJP to actively manage its relationship with Nitish Kumar’s party.
With agency inputs
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Ask News18The friction stems from the JD(U)’s poor performance in the Legislative Council elections, internal sabotage allegations, and the BJP’s controversial move to welcome independent winners who defeated JD(U) candidates.
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November 11, 2026, 13:39 IST
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