Bihar: Nikhil Mandal quits JD(U) post, may move to BJP

PATNA: Nikhil Mandal, the grandson of former Bihar chief minister and Mandal Commission chairperson B P Mandal, resigned from the post of JD(U) state spokesperson on Monday, citing personal reasons.
His resignation comes a month after Bihar CM Nitish Kumar dumped the BJP and joined hands with Lalu Prasad-led RJD to form a new government in Bihar.
Sources in political circles say, Mandal quit the post of JD(U) spokesperson as he was facing problems in defending his party and the Mahagathbandhan leaders before media after CM Nitish Kumar joined hands with the RJD.
Political analysts said Mandal may move towards the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as he is also willing to contest the next parliamentary poll from Madhepura, which his grandfather B P Mandal represented thrice.
Reacting over Mandal's resignation, Bihar BJP spokesperson Dr Nikhil Anand said, "It seems he quit the post of spokesperson as he has, for the last one month, been facing difficulty in defending Nitish, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and the grand alliance government at different forums, including the media."
Mandal did not pick the calls made by TOI or answer text messages. Mandal's close associates in JD(U) said he has not been picking calls of any person since Monday morning after he sent his resignation letter to the party seniors.
In 2020, Mandal contested the assembly polls as JD(U) candidate from Madhepura constituency, but he lost to RJD's Chandrasekhar, who is now education minister in the new grand alliance government. "As Mandal is uncertain of getting the JD(U) symbol to contest from Madhepura seat in 2025 assembly elections, he is looking for an alternative," a senior leader in the grand alliance said. Mandal's father Manindra Kumar Mandal represented Madhepura in Bihar assembly twice in February 2005 and November 2005.
Sources said Mandal is also keen on contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Madhepura, which his grandfather B P Mandal represented thrice in 1967, 1968 (by-poll) and 1977. As the Madhepura Lok Sabha seat is currently held by JD(U) Dinesh Chandra Yadav, Mandal has a little chance to get the symbol from his party.