Patna: JD(U) MLA Anant Singh, already at the centre of an intra-party dispute over his opposition to the JD(U) candidate Neeraj Kumar in the forthcoming MLC elections, drew fresh attention on Friday when he stated that nine people lost their lives as a consequence of his backing for Nitish Kumar during the period when the former Bihar chief minister was still new to politics.

Speaking with a news agency, Anant Singh defended his party loyalty by pointing to his own record of personal sacrifice, asking who among his colleagues could claim to have given as much. He stated that at that point in time, Nitish Kumar held no particular standing and was known to move from place to place without a fixed purpose.

Walking back the words attributed to him, Anant Singh clarified that the statement — in which he had spoken of nine killings during his time alongside Nitish Kumar — had not been accurately represented. Pushing back on the characterisation that he had spoken of nine killings tied to his backing of Nitish Kumar, he clarified that the deaths he referenced were those of nine of his own associates during Lalu Prasad Yadav's time as chief minister, adding that he had made numerous personal sacrifices.

Singh stated that nine of his supporters were killed while Lalu Prasad held power, a period he attributed to his own backing of Nitish Kumar.

Backing from Anant Singh has gone to Anuj Singh, the Jan Suraaj Party nominee contesting the MLC seat from the Patna Graduates' constituency.

Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, the JD(U) national spokesperson, took issue with remarks from Anant Singh by drawing attention to Nitish Kumar's years of political experience and his standing as a leader with an untarnished public image. Nitish, whose roughly five decades in public life were noted in the remarks, was described as one of a handful of politicians in the country who had not faced any lasting misconduct allegations.

Prasad went on to assert that no documented link between Nitish and criminal elements had ever come to light, much less any tie to violent conduct, and that the former chief minister had consistently kept clear of divisive political tactics — adding that Anant Singh's remarks carried no weight with the public and were not viewed by the party as meriting any formal response.

RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav put forward a claim that nine deaths were carried out by Anant Singh at the direction of Nitish Kumar. Records spanning their two decades in office have been drawn into public view. Singh has alleged that he was pressured into carrying out wrongful acts. A number of individuals were removed from their positions as part of an effort to consolidate political control. Singh laid out that position directly and on the record.