Bihar MP Rajiv Ranjan 'Lalan' Singh has been elected as the Janata Dal (United) national president, replacing RCP Singh, news agency PTI reported on Saturday, 31 July, citing party sources.
The change of guard took place during JD(U)'s national executive meeting, which was held in Delhi and attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Along with Kumar, the meeting was attended by JD(U) MPs, its national office-bearers, state party chiefs and executive members, ANI reported.
Singh is known to be a close confidant of Kumar. His appointment comes after RCP Singh stepped down from his post following his induction into the Union cabinet.
Lalan Singh, who is a MP from Bihar's Munger, is also the first upper caste (Bhumihar) national president of the party. After his election, Singh said that he will reach out to "those leaders who were once part of the organisation but have drifted away for some reason."
He further added that he'd help strengthen the JD(U)'s organisation in other parts of the country.
The party also passed a number of resolutions in the executive committee meeting where the decision was taken.
One of the resolutions passed reiterated the party's position that the central government should come out with a caste census, an issue with potentially wide political ramifications.
The party also opposed any "coercive measures" like "the enactment of laws to control population growth."
JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi told reporters that coercive policies had failed during the Emergency, even as he added his party was in support of steps to control the growth of population, reported PTI.
Tyagi further added that the party's national council, its highest decision-making body, will meet in Patna in August to endorse Lalan Singh''s election as its president.
He also informed that the JD(U) will also contest the upcoming Assembly elections in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Manipur, adding that it will like to fight as a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance but will contest independently if it is not given a "respectable" deal.
It will contest 200 seats in the UP Assembly polls, he claimed.
(With inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)