New Delhi [India], March 22 (ANI): In a significant political development, the former Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi formally joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in the national capital on Sunday in the presence of RLD President and Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary.

The veteran socialist leader, a founding member of JD(U), had resigned from the party on March 17.

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On Wednesday, Tyagi said that he did not participate in the latest membership drive of the party, clarifying that there is no personal friction between him and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar due to the Rajya Sabha seat allocation.

Tyagi, a founding member of the party since its inception, maintained that his "relationship with Nitish Kumar and the Bihar JDU remains the same".

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"I am the founder of Janata Dal (United) alongside George Fernandes, Sharad Yadav, Nitish Kumar, and Digvijay Singh... I have been a member ever since. However, I did not participate in this membership drive," he said.

The senior leader also addressed speculations regarding his parliamentary ambitions, denying that his exit was linked to a desire for a seat in the Rajya Sabha. "There is not a single instance of me trying for a Rajya Sabha ticket. Even in 2013, Nitish Kumar called me and offered me a ticket," said Tyagi.

Previouisly, after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar secured a victory in the Rajya Sabha elections, Tyagi had stated that he has not resigned from the party, highlighting that he shares a long history with the Bihar CM. "I have a 50-year-old relationship with Nitish Kumar. In Jayaprakash ji's movement, then in the Janata Party, Lok Dal, and then under Karpoori ji's leadership, we did politics together. I have not resigned."

Beyond his own party, Tyagi launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, following sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi's exit from the party and joining the BJP. "The Congress party is on its decline. Due to poor leadership and wrong policies, it is sinking deeper into the abyss", he had said.

Tyagi had earlier resigned as JD(U)'s national chief spokesperson in September 2024. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)