Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) blamed his arch-rival Nitish Kumar, who heads the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), for the downgrading of his security cover by the BJP-led government in Bihar.

The RJD supremo was approached by journalists with queries on the recent order of the Samrat Choudhary administration by which the security cover of Mr. Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi, both ex-CMs who had been Z-plus protectees, was downgraded.

Mr. Prasad gave the curt reply, saying, "Yes, the security cover has been downgraded. It is all being done at the behest of Nitish Kumar".

Despite fierce rivalry between the two leaders, there have been two short-lived alliances between the RJD and the JD(U), both occasioned by Mr. Kumar's temporary disenchantment with the BJP.

On both occasions, Mr. Prasad's younger son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav had been rewarded with the deputy CM's post. Last month, Mr. Kumar stepped down as the Bihar Chief Minister to move to the Rajya Sabha, paving the way for the first-ever BJP government in the State, and his son Nishant has been inducted into the cabinet of Samrat Choudhary.