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Journalism of Courage
As R C P Singh looks set to retire from his Rajya Sabha membership come July, and presumably lose the Union Steel Ministry portfolio he currently holds, it might be quite a fall from grace for the leader, who had as quick a rise within the JD(U) ranks.
On Sunday, as the JD(U) and ally BJP declared their Rajya Sabha nominations from Bihar, Singh’s name didn’t figure in the list of either party. In the run-up to the nominations, there had been feverish speculation that the 63-year-old Singh, who is believed to have fallen out with JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar, would snag a ticket from the BJP. While the ties between the JD(U) and BJP have been strained lately, the BJP appears to have decided to take the more practical call of siding with Nitish over Singh.
That Singh could even raise this banner of modicum revolt would have once been considered unthinkable. A two-time JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP, R C P Singh – or Ram Chandra Prasad Singh – had made his way into Nitish’s close circles keeping a low profile. The only instance observers in Patna recall of his being vocal earlier is when poll strategist Prashant Kishor briefly challenged his authority as de facto number two to Nitish.
An Uttar Pradesh-cadre IAS officer, Singh had first come in contact with Nitish when he was posted as private secretary to then Union minister Beni Prasad Verma in 1996. Nitish and Singh are said to have bonded over the fact that both come from Nalanda district in Bihar and are Kurmi (as was Verma). Nitish is also said to have been impressed with Singh’s acumen as a bureaucrat.
When Nitish became Union railway minister, Singh became his special secretary, later following the JD(U) leader through his various portfolios.
After Kumar became CM in November 2005, Singh moved to Bihar. He came to play a key role in postings, and as Nitish’s principal secretary, was seen as the CM’s voice. Soon, Singh’s influence extended to the JD(U).
In 2010, Singh took voluntary retirement and was nominated by the JD(U) to the Rajya Sabha. He was renominated in 2016.
During this time, the only instance of Singh feeling a challenge to his position was when Kishor shot up in the JD(U) like a meteor, and burnt out as quickly. As organisational general secretary of the party, Singh is known to have not taken kindly to the political strategist, appointed JD(U) vice-president, meeting party leaders. The emergence of a second power centre apparently with the blessing of Nitish was noted by all. Eventually, Singh prevailed and Kishor exited.
During the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, Singh had run into a spot of controversy two days before the first phase of voting, after a violent clash during immersion of a Durga idol left one dead in Munger, allegedly in police firing. Singh faced violent protests when he visited Begusarai, with the Opposition raising the fact that Singh’s daughter Lipi Singh was the SP of Munger. The Election Commission later moved Lipi Singh out.
The falling out between Singh and Nitish is believed to have happened during Cabinet formation of the second Narendra Modi government. Nitish, who had refused to join the first Modi government, pondered changing his mind in 2019, but reportedly wanted berths for two — for Singh as well as his other long-time lieutenant, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh. When that didn’t come through, the JD(U) stayed out.
In the 2021 Cabinet expansion though, R C P Singh surprisingly found place as Union Steel Minister. He reportedly forwarded his name without Nitish’s consent, an unforgivable transgression in the party where Nitish’s writ runs supreme.
