JD(U) constitutes jumbo-size 251-member state committee in Bihar

PATNA: Hours after constituting its new national team, JD(U) on Tuesday announced a jumbo-size 251-member state committee for Bihar.
JD(U) state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha released the names of new office-bearers after consulting the party’s national leadership. Besides Kushwaha, the new state team comprises 20 vice presidents, 105 general secretaries, 114 secretaries, one treasurer, and 11 spokespersons.
Party’s senior leaders and MLCs Lalan Kumar Sarraf and Neeraj Kumar have been retained on the posts of state treasurer and chief spokesperson, respectively. Former MLC Ranbir Nandan has also been retained as spokesperson.
Altogether seven former ministers namely Lakshmeshwar Rai, Muneshwar Choudhary, Shyam Bihari Prasad, Khursheed alias Firoz Ahmad, Ranju Gita, Jai Kumar Singh and Virendra Prasad Singh have been made vice-presidents in the new committee.
Four former MLAs namely Lalan Paswan, Ashok Kumar (both from Rohtas district), Lakhan Thakur (Supaul) and Muzahid Alam (Kishanganj) have also been given the post of vice-presidents.
Similarly, altogether 11 former MLAs namely Arun Manjhi, Saba Jafar, Prabhunath Ram, Bashishtha Singh, Hem Narayan Sah, Pradeep Singh, Chandrasen Prasad, Arun Yadav, Jaivardhan Yadav, Prabhat Ranjan Singh and Shyam Bihari Ram have been made the general secretaries.
MLC Sanjay Singh, who was earlier the party’s spokesperson, has been made vice-president. Former speaker Sadanand Singh’s son Subhanand Mukesh has been made general secretary.
Many leaders from Kushwaha (Koeri) community have been given key positions in the new state team apparently in a bid to minimize the impact of JD(U)’s former parliamentary board chief Upendra Kushwaha’s recent exit from the party. Dhiraj Kushwaha, once a close associate of Upendra Kushwaha, has been made general secretary.
Former Yuva JD(U) state president Santosh Kushwaha, who has been given the responsibility of the state general secretary in the new team, told TOI that leaders from all social groups have been given adequate representation in the new team.
Santosh thanked the party national president Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh and state president Umesh Kushwaha for constituting a “very balanced” state team in Bihar ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.