“For the followers of JP Narayan, the road back to political relevance has been long and paved with litigation. But with a clear mandate from Chhapra, the farmer with the plough is finally ready to return to the field,” said a jubilant Mr. Jayprakash Bandhu, National President of the Janata Party. 

Indian Observer Post

Chhapra | May 8, 2026: More than four decades after it first taught India that an opposition could unseat a Congress government, the historic Janata Party has finally resolved a debilitating internal leadership dispute. In a judgment that brings a sense of finality to years of organisational turmoil, the Court of Additional District Judge (ADJ) in Chhapra (Saran) has declared Mr. Jayprakash Bandhu as the duly elected and legitimate National President of the party.

The ruling, delivered on September 11, 2025, does more than settle a factional war. It also satisfies both conditions laid down by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in its letter dated November 11, 2022, potentially unlocking the party’s return to full electoral functionality with its symbol “Chakra Haldhar” — a farmer carrying a plough within a wheel — an enduring emblem of its rural and mass connect.

The Janata Party, founded on January 23, 1977, was India’s first non-Congress ruling party, born as a defiant response to the Emergency. However, its resilience was tested when the ECI formally took note of an organisational conflict between Mr. Jayprakash Bandhu (then National President) and Mr. Raj Kapoor Prasad Yadav. The Commission directed the party to resolve the matter either through a joint affidavit via internal forums or through a binding order from a competent court. The party chose the latter.

A suit filed by Smt. Anandi Rai, National Vice President, and others before the ADJ Court (Case No. 562/2024) sought a declaration of the legitimate office bearers. After a full trial, the court held that the open national convention held on January 16-17, 2023, at Sitab Diyara in Saran — the birthplace of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan — was conducted strictly in accordance with the party constitution. The election, supervised by Returning Officer Mr. Umesh Kumar Gahlot, validly elected Mr. Jayprakash Bandhu as National President, Smt. Anandi Rai as Vice President, Mr. Abhishek Kumar as Treasurer, and a full 30-member National Executive Committee. 

In contrast, the rival claim of Mr. Raj Kapoor Prasad Yadav — who had been expelled from the party on January 20, 2022, for indiscipline — was declared illegal and void. The court noted that his purported election on November 1, 2022, was a fake and unconstitutional exercise. “The court unequivocally declared that Mr. Jayprakash Bandhu is the rightful National President and that all office bearers elected on January 16-17, 2023, stand validly elected,” confirmed Mr. Anuj Sharma, Senior Vice President of the party.

Interestingly, after the court’s verdict, Mr. Raj Kapoor Prasad Yadav submitted an unconditional joint affidavit before the party forum, withdrawing all complaints and claims before the Election Commission.

In a telephonic interview, an emotionally charged Mr. Jayprakash Bandhu, an old socialist leader who had been very close to the late Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, reflected on the long struggle. “I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble Judiciary — particularly the ADJ Court, Chhapra — for upholding democracy within our party,” he said.

For the veterans of the Janata Party, the walls of the Chhapra District Court did not just echo with legal jargon; they echoed with the survival of a legacy. With a clear judicial mandate, an internal reconciliation, and all ECI conditions met, the party is now preparing for the Assembly elections upcoming in 2027. A nationwide move to reorganise the party is also on the cards, with party sources indicating a massive change in the organisation in the coming days. “For the followers of JP Narayan, the road back to political relevance has been long and paved with litigation. But with a clear mandate from Chhapra, the farmer with the plough is finally ready to return to the field,” said a jubilant Mr. Jayprakash Bandhu, National President of the Janata Party. He added that party workers have worked hard and are looking for a meaningful role and contribution to realise the dreams of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan.