In a significant political development in Bihar, Ramchandra Prasad Singh (RCP Singh), a former Union Minister and once a close confidant of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has merged his political outfit Aap Sabki Aawaz with Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party. The announcement, made on Sunday, May 18, 2025, marks a strategic alliance aimed at offering a fresh political alternative in the state.

RCP Singh, an IAS-turned-politician and former Union Minister for Steel, had formed his party on October 31, 2024, after being sidelined by Nitish Kumar and his party, Janata Dal (United) or JD(U). Singh had earlier promised to contest all 243 Assembly seats, claiming his party was ready with candidates on 140 seats.

A new alliance with shared goals

Speaking on the occasion of the merger, Prashant Kishor, the renowned political strategist-turned-politician, said the move will strengthen the Jan Suraaj Party and present a credible and fresh political alternative in Bihar. He lashed out at the current leadership of JD(U), calling it a party run by four contractors with no real political grounding.

Kishor reiterated his party’s commitment to Nitish Kumar’s earlier motto of staying away from the three Cs — crime, corruption, and communalism, and claimed that the present JD(U) has strayed far from these principles.

RCP Singh, in turn, said that he and Kishor share a common goal — to bring a real change in Bihar's political landscape. He argued that contrary to common belief, Bihar still has significant mineral potential despite losing most mineral-rich areas to Jharkhand during the bifurcation in 2000.

Criticism of Nitish Kumar’s governance

Both leaders were highly critical of Nitish Kumar’s leadership, pointing to failures in governance, especially regarding prohibition laws and welfare schemes.

RCP Singh declared that the liquor ban in Bihar has failed completely and has become a source of rampant corruption and lawlessness. He also claimed that promises such as land distribution and financial aid to the poor remain largely unfulfilled.

Kishor, on the same day, launched a signature campaign from the outskirts of Kalyanbigha, Nitish Kumar’s ancestral village in Nalanda district. He was accompanied by hundreds of party supporters and workers, but the district administration halted the caravan, citing lack of official permission to hold a political program.

Villagers highlight corruption and failed promises

At the outskirts of the village, Prashant Kishor interacted with villagers, especially from underprivileged communities, and asked pointed questions about government schemes.

He inquired whether they had received the three decimal land as announced by Nitish Kumar in 2008, and the ₹2 lakh aid promised two years ago. The villagers replied that no such benefits had reached them, and also alleged serious corruption at the block level offices, especially in ongoing land survey processes.

This grassroots feedback is being used by Jan Suraaj to build a strong narrative against the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), positioning itself as the voice of the marginalised.

Political past and fallout

RCP Singh had a long career in bureaucracy before joining politics. He was an IAS officer in the Uttar Pradesh cadre and came in contact with Nitish Kumar when the latter was Union Railway Minister. He hails from Nalanda district and belongs to the Kurmi caste, the same as Nitish Kumar.

Singh served as a Rajya Sabha member from JD(U) twice, and was considered an organisational backbone of the party. However, his induction into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet in 2021 as Steel Minister reportedly caused friction with Nitish Kumar.

He was eventually sidelined in the JD(U), and later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after Nitish Kumar severed ties with BJP in 2022. Singh had hoped to become a key BJP leader in Bihar but soon found himself politically isolated. In January 2024, Nitish Kumar made another U-turn by rejoining the NDA, again pushing Singh into political obscurity.

Now, by joining hands with Prashant Kishor, Singh is attempting to revive his political career and offer Bihar voters a clear alternative to both JD(U) and the BJP.

A challenge to existing political structure

The Jan Suraaj Party has been trying to build a base in Bihar through grassroots campaigns and direct voter engagement. Kishor’s campaign strategy focuses on accountability, inclusivity, and transparency, which he argues are missing in the current government.

With the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections approaching, this merger is seen as a strategic consolidation of anti-incumbency forces, especially among the Kurmi community, lower caste voters, and those disenchanted with traditional parties.

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