JD-U MP Harivansh Faces Potential Action for Defying Party Line in Parliament Building Inauguration

Patna: The ruling party in Bihar, Janata Dal-United (JD-U), has criticised its own senior leader Harivansh Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, for openly praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of the new parliament building. This move contradicts the party's stance and the position of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the party's de facto leader.

On Monday, JD-U targeted Harivansh, a former journalist turned politician, a day after he participated in the grand inauguration of the new parliament building in Delhi alongside Prime Minister Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The party hinted at possible action against him for going against the party's official position.

Neeraj Kumar, the chief spokesperson of JD-U and considered close to Nitish Kumar, accused Harivansh of compromising his conscience and journalism for the sake of power. "Harivansh has sold his conscience and journalism. He participated in the inauguration ceremony of the new parliament building, where the President and Vice President were insulted," Kumar told the media.

Kumar further stated that Harivansh had tarnished both politics and journalism. The JD-U had sent him to the Rajya Sabha due to his contribution to Hindi journalism, but he compromised his principles for the sake of power. The party expected Harivansh to align with the party's stance and refrain from attending the inauguration function, but he disregarded the party's position, contrary to Kumar and JD-U's stance. “This has exposed his proximity to the saffron party, and it has become evident whom Harivansh is in contact with," he added.

Two days ago, Harivansh wrote an article in the editorial section of The Hindu justifying the need for a new parliament building.

Harivansh was initially appointed to the Rajya Sabha by CM Kumar in 2014 as a JD-U member. In 2018, he was elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. In 2022, Harivansh was renominated to the Rajya Sabha by Kumar.

However, political observers have noted that Harivansh developed a closeness with the top leadership of the BJP soon after his election to the Rajya Sabha. This became evident when he significantly passed two farm bills in the Upper House, disregarding pleas for adjournment by opposition members.

Interestingly, since Kumar broke ties with the BJP and joined the Mahagathbandhan coalition to form the government in August of last year, election strategist and once-close confidant of Kumar claimed that Kumar was in contact or talks with BJP leaders through his party MP Harivansh.

"There is an internal discussion within the party regarding whether Harivansh is merely a JD-U leader in name, as he has publicly shown closeness with the BJP by supporting its positions on various issues," said a JD-U leader.

Nitish Kumar, who is actively engaging with national and regional party leaders as part of his "opposition unity" mission to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, publicly endorsed the decision of the 19 opposition parties, including JD-U, to boycott the inauguration of the new parliament building.

Kumar believed that the old and current parliament buildings hold historical significance. "The (old parliament building) is our history. When we became an independent country, everything started from this building. This building should have been developed and renovated. There is no point in constructing a separate new building. By building a new structure, those in power want to alter our historical past," stated the Bihar CM.

He further emphasised that the new building is part of a plan to erase the history associated with the old parliament building. "Tomorrow, it will be forgotten. I have repeatedly stated that those in power (BJP) today attempt to rewrite history. They will alter the history of the freedom struggle," he added. Kumar firmly believes there was no need for a new parliament building when the old one holds such historical significance.