Ashok Kumar Ram Joins JD(U): Senior Congress leader and six-time MLA Dr Ashok Kumar Ram resigned from Congress and joined JD(U) ahead of Bihar Assembly polls.
Blow to Congress: Ram, a prominent Dalit leader from Darbhanga, was joined by his son and supporters, marking a major setback for the opposition Grand Alliance.
JD(U) Gains Momentum: JD(U) leaders hailed the move, stating Ram’s induction will strengthen Nitish Kumar’s vision and boost the ruling alliance’s prospect
In a significant political development ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled for October-November this year, senior Congress leader and six-time MLA Dr Ashok Kumar Ram resigned from the Congress and officially joined the ruling Janata Dal (United) on Sunday.
According to PTI, Ashok, who also served as the Working President of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC), was inducted into JD(U) at a formal ceremony in Patna. The event was presided over by JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, and attended by key leaders including Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary and state party president Umesh Kushwaha.
An influential Dalit leader from the Darbhanga region, Dr Ram’s switch is being seen as a blow to the Congress, which is part of the opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar. His son Atirek Ram, along with several of his supporters, also joined JD(U), signaling a family-wide and factional shift.
According to the Hindu JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha said, “We welcome all leaders who want to strengthen the hands of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and support his vision for Bihar. Many other leaders from the opposition Grand Alliance are also in talks with us.”
State JD(U) president Umesh Kushwaha showed similar sentiments,as reported by The Hindu, expressing confidence that Ram’s induction would significantly bolster the ruling alliance’s prospects. “Dr Ram has been inspired by the party’s development-focused policies and the leadership of Nitish Kumar,” Kushwaha stated
