By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: When Nitish Kumar parted ways with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to form a government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in January 2024, the political scene in Bihar witnessed intense drama both inside and outside the Assembly. Several RJD and Congress MLAs switched allegiances, some joining the Janata Dal (United) and others moving to the BJP. Among the defectors was Sangeeta Kumari, a former RJD MLA, who has now been appointed as a state spokesperson for the BJP.
The announcement of Sangeeta Kumari’s new role was made by BJP State President Dr Dilip Jaiswal, who entrusted her with this significant responsibility. This officially confirms her membership in the BJP.
The Bihar BJP shared the news through its official X (formerly Twitter) handle. A statement issued on the party’s letterhead by State Headquarters in-charge Arvind Sharma read: “As per the instructions of the Honourable State President of Bharatiya Janata Party Dr Dilip Jaiswal, MLA Sangeeta Kumari from Mohania, Kaimur, is nominated as the State Spokesperson of BJP.”
The appointment of the 39-year-old as BJP spokesperson has sparked discussions, particularly regarding the anti-defection law. Despite allegations of defection, the Speaker of the Assembly has yet to take action against her, even after 10 months.
Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav has repeatedly urged Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav to act on the matter. Previously, Sangeeta Kumari’s BJP affiliation was considered unofficial. However, her new role as an official spokesperson may intensify political debates in the Assembly.
Sangeeta Kumari recently drew attention when she criticised JD(U) leader and minister Ratnesh Sada on social media. Commenting on the ongoing debate about Nitish Kumar’s candidacy as Chief Minister, she stated: “When Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has declared Nitish Kumar as the face of the NDA, why are questions being raised? Such remarks cast doubt on the unity of the alliance.”
Hailing from Kaimur, Sangeeta Kumari first became an MLA in 2020, representing the Mohania Assembly seat on an RJD ticket. She has served as the district president of RJD Mahila Prakoshtha and was considered close to state president Jagdanand Singh. Her entry into politics is attributed to Buxar MP Sudhakar Singh, who mentored her political journey.
As RJD prepares to address this development, all eyes are on how the party raises this issue in the Assembly and the Speaker’s subsequent response.
