Madan Shah, a senior leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has been making headlines following his emotional outburst after being denied a ticket for the Bihar Assembly elections. The incident, which took place outside the residence of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna, saw Shah tearing off his clothes and breaking down in public, expressing his despair and anger over the alleged corruption in ticket distribution.
Shah's dramatic protest stemmed from his belief that he was unfairly denied a ticket from the Madhuban Assembly constituency. He claimed that he was asked for money in exchange for the ticket, an allegation he later clarified was conveyed through the media rather than directly. Shah accused Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Yadav of brokering the ticket for cash and giving the Madhuban seat to Dr. Santosh Kushwaha. He lamented that the party was prioritizing those with "deep pockets" over loyal and hardworking members like himself.
In the wake of his ticket denial, Shah recalled issuing a "curse" that the RJD would not win more than 25 seats in the election. The election results saw the RJD winning exactly 25 seats, a coincidence that Shah addressed with mixed emotions. While he acknowledged feeling pained by the party's defeat, he also stated that he believed whatever happens is for the best and that Lalu Prasad Yadav was not consulted on ticket distribution this time. The RJD and its allies only secured 35 seats in the Bihar Assembly elections, while the ruling NDA achieved a sweeping victory with 202 seats.
Videos of Shah's outburst went viral on social media, sparking widespread debate about corruption in ticket distribution within the RJD. Shah said that "The pain drove me to madness" after no one agreed to see him after he went to meet Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna. He also alleged that Tejashwi Yadav is arrogant and does not meet with people. He further claimed that both Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav backtracked on their promise to give him a ticket. Shah stated that he has been working for the party since the 1990s and even sold his land for the party.
