Veteran JDU leader KC Tyagi has resigned as the party's spokesperson. JDU leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has appointed Rajiv Ranjan Prasad in his place. While the party has said Mr Tyagi took the decision for "personal reasons", the development is being seen as a JDU's damage control after Mr Tyagi's statements on key issues did not go down well with the BJP leadership.
"The National President of Janata Dal (United), Shri Nitish Kumar (Chief Minister, Bihar) has appointed Shri Rajiv Ranjan Prasad as the National Spokesperson. Shri K.C. Tyagi, who is in the party on the post of spokesperson, has resigned from the post of party spokesperson due to personal reason," the JDU has said in a statement.
News agency ANI has shared a letter written by Mr Tyagi to Nitish Kumar yesterday. In the letter, Mr Tyagi has said he had earlier, too, requested to be relieved of organisational responsibility. "You must have noticed that I have kept myself from TV debates for the past few months. I am not able to do justice to the post as spokesperson due to other work. Please relieve me from this responsibility. I will be available to publicise about you and Bihar government's achievements," he wrote.
Nitish Kumar's JDU is among the key allies that propped up the third Narendra Modi government after the BJP fell short of a majority in this general election. The BJP, it is learnt, has been asking allies to maintain coordination in the ruling NDA bloc.
Against this backdrop, Mr Tyagi's remarks on key issues such as Waqf amendment Bill, Uniform Civil Code and the war in Gaza left JDU red-faced.
Recently, Mr Tyagi was among the parliamentarians and former MPs who put out a statement targeting Israel. "We, the undersigned Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum, unequivocally condemn the ongoing Zionist aggression and the heinous genocide of the Palestinian people by Israel. This brutal assault is not only an affront to humanity but also a gross violation of international law and the principles of justice and peace," the statement said.
"As a nation that has always championed the cause of justice and human rights, India can not be complicit in this genocide," it added.
Besides several Opposition politicians, Mr Tyagi was a signatory to this statement.
JDU sources said that the 73-year-old leader was taking his own line on too many issues and creating embarrassment for the party. The sources said the party leadership felt that Mr Tyagi should have consulted before putting out public statements on contentious issues that "created confusion and unnecessary friction" between JDU and its ally BJP.