RCP Singh’s RS fate under cloud amid buzz over rift with Nitish

PATNA: Will Bihar CM and JD(U)’s de-facto leader Nitish Kumar send Union steel minister RCP Singh to the Rajya Sabha for a third consecutive term?
The question is doing the rounds in Bihar’s political circles these days. RCP’s second term in the Rajya Sabha ends on July 7 and, if not renominated to the Rajya Sabha, he would have to resign as a minister in the Narendra Modi government (if not re-elected to either House of Parliament within six months).
RCP is the only central minister from JD(U). There has been speculation that the relationship between RCP and Nitish had soured. Both attended a wedding ceremony at Ara on Friday but JD(U) politicians there noticed the usual bonhomie was missing.
“The wedding of the CM’s security aide Harendra Singh’s son was organised near Ara. RCP arrived there earlier. When Nitish arrived, both leaders sat on the same three-seater sofa, but building construction minister Ashok Choudhary was asked to sit between the two,” a JD(U) leader present there told TOI.