2 lakh guests, horse races and 150 dishes: Expelled JD(U) leader’s lavish plans for daughter’s wedding

From a high-stakes horse race with a Mahindra Thar as the top prize and a sleek white Land Rover Defender for the groom to a guest list of 2 lakh people and over 150 culinary delicacies, the upcoming wedding of expelled Janata Dal (United) leader and Mokama MLA Anant Singh’s younger daughter is all set to be a lavish affair. Singh and his wife Neelam Devi, a former MLA from Mokama, were expelled from the JD(U).

Their daughter Shivangi is tying the knot on November 25 with Rishikesh Kumar (alias Ankit) from Bihta. While Singh is a postgraduate, Rishikesh, the son of CRPF Commandant Ranvijay Singh, is an MBA graduate from Georgia State University, Atlanta, and has lived in the US for over a decade.

The CRPF commandant’s residence in Bihta’s Krishnanagar area has been given a complete makeover for the occasion.

Singh and his wife Neelam Devi were expelled for anti-party activities. The JD(U) has also sought Singh’s disqualification as a member of the Bihar Assembly.

The expulsion came amid tensions between Anant Singh and the JD(U), which came to a head when Singh defied party orders to back Jan Suraaj Party candidate Anuj Singh against JD(U) spokesman Neeraj Kumar, his political rival, in the recent MLC polls. Kumar eventually won the race.

Despite ongoing legal troubles and political setbacks, the sheer scale of the wedding ceremony at Ladwan village in Mokama has taken centre stage. On October 30, the Supreme Court rejected Anant Singh’s plea for an extension of bail in the Dularchand Yadav murder case but extended his bail until December 4 in view of his daughter’s marriage.

Speaking to the media, Singh appeared unperturbed by his expulsion from the JD(U), the potential loss of his MLA status or the outcome of the recent MLC polls, instead falling back on his signature refrain: “Janata maalik hai (The people are the masters)”.

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On his legal situation too, Singh said: “My bail plea extension was rejected. It is the process of law”.

For some time now, Anant Singh has remained focused entirely on the nuptials, inviting everyone in his phonebook across political lines — including JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad. Kumar, however, has reportedly been left out.

According to sources, Singh, known for his love of horses, is organising a horse race on the wedding day. The top prizes for the winners, according to sources, are a Mahindra Thar, a motorcycle and a scooty.

Sources said the celebrations will feature a star-studded lineup of performers, including Udit Narayan, Sonu Sood, Maithili Thakur, Ravi Kishan, Manoj Tiwari and Pawan Singh.

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At Ladwan village, supporters are seen erecting modern pandals across 10 bighas of land, with fresh flowers being flown in from China and major Indian cities like Bengaluru to decorate the main stage and wedding mandap.

Meanwhile, a white Land Rover Defender parked at Singh’s Patna residence awaits the bridegroom amid growing social media buzz.