Disgruntled Janata Dal (United) MLA Anant Kumar Singh on Friday claimed to have masterminded “nine murders for Nitish Kumar”, the former Bihar Chief Minister widely credited with restoring the rule of law, triggering a political controversy in Bihar.The JD(U) sought to distance itself from the Mokama MLA, with the party’s national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad asserting that the remark did not deserve to be taken seriously.Singh, who is upset with the party for fielding his political rival Neeraj Kumar in the upcoming Legislative Council polls, made the claim while lashing out at his adversary.The multiple-term MLA, who has vowed to ensure Neeraj Kumar’s defeat, told reporters at his residence that his support for Jan Suraaj Party candidate Anuj Singh did not amount to defying Nitish Kumar.“Nitish Kumar and I go back a long way. To help him, I got nine people murdered. I stood by him in times when he was struggling to find a toehold,” Singh said.In a video statement, Prasad, without naming Singh, said Nitish Kumar had maintained an unblemished record throughout his five-decade political career.“Nitish Kumar has stood out for an untainted record, with no blemishes of hobnobbing with criminals and involvement in violence or any type of negativity,” he said.“The type of statement that we have come across deserves no cognisance from the party and is unlikely to be taken seriously by the public,” he added.JD(U) Working President Sanjay Kumar Jha said the party had taken note of the developments while expressing confidence in its electoral prospects.“He has made a statement followed by a clarification. The state unit of the party is aware of the entire situation and has taken note of all these developments. Our candidates in Patna will win by a large margin; the party is well aware of the matter,” Jha told reporters.Anant Singh’s U-turnSingh later retracted his earlier remarks, blaming RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav for the deaths of his associates.“I have responded to Neeraj Kumar, detailing the sacrifices I have made. During the Lalu Yadav government, nine of my associates were killed, and I myself was shot. It was because we aligned ourselves with Nitish Kumar that Lalu Yadav had them killed,” he said.RJD alleges crime-politics nexusThe opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), meanwhile, accused Nitish Kumar of building his political power by aligning with criminal elements.RJD leader Shakti Singh Yadav said Singh’s initial remark amounted to an admission of political crimes, referring to killings involving members of the Rajput and Bhumihar communities.Yadav questioned whether Singh’s subsequent retraction or alteration of his statement was the result of party pressure. He also alleged that Nitish Kumar had built his political power by aligning with criminal gangs across Bihar. — with inputs from Agencies