JDU cuts ties with veteran leader KC Tyagi over controversial statements

Patna (The Uttam Hindu): Senior Janata Dal United (JDU) leader and longtime face of the party, K.C. Tyagi, has unofficially ended his tenure with the party. Top party sources have confirmed that Tyagi's tenure with the JDU is now over. The leadership was uneasy with his recent statements and actions that deviated from the party line, leading the JDU to completely distance itself from him. It is now clear that he will have no say in the party's policies or decisions in the future.

The party shrugged off the demand for Bharat Ratna for Nitish.

The latest controversy erupted when K.C. Tyagi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the Bharat Ratna for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He argued that Nitish Kumar deserved the same honor as Chaudhary Charan Singh and Karpoori Thakur. However, the JDU distanced itself from his demand. The party's national spokesperson, Rajiv Ranjan, categorically stated that K.C. Tyagi's demand had nothing to do with the party's official position. Ranjan even went so far as to say that party leaders and workers no longer knew whether Tyagi was still with the JDU, and therefore his statements should be viewed in his "personal capacity."

Support for the Bangladeshi cricketer proved costly

A major reason for the party leadership's displeasure is K.C. Tyagi's statement in support of Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman. KKR had released Mustafizur amid the uproar in India against the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. In contrast to this atmosphere, Tyagi stated that "politics should not be brought into sports" and that Mustafizur should be allowed to play in the IPL. According to JDU sources, at a time when the mood in the country and the alliance is strongly against Bangladesh, Tyagi's statement was contrary to public sentiment and at odds with the NDA's stance. The party believes that the leader of an ally should have consulted the party on such sensitive international matters.

'Dignified separation' without action

According to sources, an "amicable separation" has occurred between the party leadership and K.C. Tyagi. However, given his longstanding relationship and extensive contributions to the party, the leadership has decided not to take any formal disciplinary action against him. The JDU views this as the end of an era. It's worth noting that K.C. Tyagi has previously made statements that deviated from the NDA and party lines on issues such as lateral entry, the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), and the Israel-Palestine conflict. These issues led to his resignation as national spokesperson, and now the party has completely distanced itself from him.