Mrityunjay Tiwari jumps ship from RJD to BJP

Former RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari on Friday joined the BJP in the presence of the party’s state unit president, Sanjay Saraogi. The move comes a week after Tiwari severed ties with the Opposition party in Bihar, bringing a formal end to his nearly 20-year association with the RJD.

Tiwari was inducted into the party during an event at the state BJP headquarters in Patna. Addressing BJP workers after joining the party, Tiwari cited alignment with national goals as his main reason for switching sides.

“I was inspired by the party’s vision of Viksit Bharat… the BJP is working in the nation’s interest. More people are joining the BJP because they identify with its ideology and vision.” On quitting the RJD, he said: “I no longer found myself aligned with the party’s leadership despite having worked there for nearly two decades.” Tiwari’s crossover follows his resignation from the RJD on July 16, when he publicly cited growing friction with party leadership and alleged that there was “no space for dedicated and loyal workers” in the RJD’s organisational structure.

As the RJD’s spokesperson for over a decade, Tiwari was often seen leading from the front in defending the party and pushing its viewpoints before the media. His exit deprives the Opposition party of a familiar, articulate defender.