KC Tyagi resigns as JD(U) spokesperson; cites 'personal reasons'

Sources said the BJP has been reaching out to allies to maintain coordination and harmony in the ruling National Democratic Alliance in its bid to quell reports of differences in the bloc.

Senior leader KC Tyagi has resigned as JD(U) national spokesperson, amid unease in the party leadership over his stand on various issues that triggered trouble with senior ally BJP.

Rajiv Ranjan Prasad has been appointed in Tyagi’s place, a party statement on Sunday said which highlighted that Tyagi has put in his papers citing “personal reasons”. Tyagi will continue as "political advisor" of the party.

In a letter to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Tyagi said he was thankful to him for reappointing him as a party official despite him requesting to be relieved of organisational responsibilities at the national convention. “Due to your affection and trust, I could not insist further,” he said.

“You may have noticed that for the past several months, I have kept myself away from the debates on TV channels. I request you to relieve me from the position of party as I am unable to do justice to it due to my involvement in other additional tasks,” he said in the letter to the JD(U) supremo.

The 73-year-old former Rajya Sabha MP promised to be available to promote Nitish’s “personality and the achievements of the government as needed”.

This is the second time in less than two years that Tyagi found himself out of the post of national spokesperson. He was dropped in March 2023 but was reinstated two months later.

Party sources, however, told DH that “personal reasons” cited in the official statement was just an “euphemism” and the main reason was the growing unease in the leadership, as his statements on Wakf Bill, Uniform Civil Code and Palestine issue rubbed the coalition leader BJP the wrong way.

Tyagi was taking an independent line on issues and as he was the national spokesperson, it was projected as JD(U) views and created “confusion and trouble” within the NDA.

His statements also projected that there was “trouble” within the NDA and the BJP had raised it with the JD(U) leadership. There was a view within and outside the party that Tyagi’s statements were not helpful to maintain cordial ties.

The latest was a joint statement with Opposition MPs supporting the Palestine cause while “unequivocally condemning the ongoing Zionist aggression”.

Party sources said that JD(U) Working President Sanjay Jha and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan ‘Lalan’ Singh should take the lead to design the party’s relationship with the BJP and NDA without Tyagi’s frequent statements.