Harivansh Faces Flaks for Editor to Establishment Insider Swing
Harivansh Gets Third Rajya Sabha Term as Nominated Member (Image X)
Former Prabhaat Khabar editor-turned-ex-Deputy Chairman faces sharp criticism over his perceived political alignment with BJP as he eyes another term atop the Upper House
By TRH Op-Ed Desk
New Delhi, May 1, 2026 — Harivansh Narayan Singh, who served as Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, gained an unprecedented third term in the Upper House after being nominated as a member by President Droupadi Murmu — a move that has reignited a sharp debate about his political journey and whether the celebrated journalist has compromised his once-formidable independent identity.
The nomination is particularly significant because it bypasses the Janata Dal (United) route entirely. JD(U)’s own internal constitution limits any member to two terms in the Rajya Sabha. While Nitish Kumar had already made an exception for Ramnath Thakur — son of late Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur — the former Bihar Chief Minister had no room to accommodate Harivansh this time, as Kumar himself entered the Rajya Sabha alongside Thakur, exhausting the party’s available seats.
Instead, Harivansh’s third term comes through presidential nomination, widely seen as a reflection of his close personal ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP leadership.
“Harivansh has cultivated a very special relationship with the BJP,” noted Manish Anand, political analyst and host of The Raisina Hills YouTube channel. “His nomination by President Murmu is being seen as a direct reward for that alignment,” he added.
From Crusading Editor to Rajya Sabha Insider
Before entering politics, Harivansh built a towering reputation as editor of Prabhat Khabar in Ranchi — a journalist known for fearless, people-first reporting from Jharkhand’s challenging hinterland.
One story in particular captures that legacy. A student once wrote a detailed letter to the newspaper alleging large-scale irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) — claiming that candidates with poor academic records were mysteriously clearing the exam. Rather than filing it away, Harivansh published the letter on the front page and ordered his reporters to independently verify every single allegation.
The resulting investigation exposed one of Jharkhand’s biggest recruitment scandals. The case reached the Jharkhand High Court, all tainted recruitments were cancelled, and sweeping reforms followed.
“That was the essence of Harivansh as an editor,” said Anand, adding: “He read every reader letter himself, backed his reporters to chase the truth, and took on the system without flinching — even when naxal reporting made it genuinely dangerous.”
The Dramatic Transformation
That image now stands in stark contrast to Harivansh’s tenure as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman — a role he is expected to retain following his nomination.
Critics from the journalism community have been vocal. Senior editors have publicly argued that the Harivansh who edited Prabhat Khabar no longer exists, replaced by a figure who functions primarily as an instrument of the ruling establishment.
During JD (U)’s falling out with the BJP between 2022 and 2024 — when Nitish Kumar briefly allied with the RJD and Tejashwi Yadav — Harivansh refused to resign as Deputy Chairman despite pressure from within JD (U) and was widely observed to remain closer to BJP’s orbit than his own party’s.
Most pointedly, opposition parties have accused him of suppressing their voices on the floor of the House. Several opposition MPs were suspended from the Rajya Sabha in proceedings over which Harivansh presided.
“In a parliamentary democracy, the convention is clear — the opposition must be heard,” Anand emphasized. “The government runs its business, but the opposition provides the check and balance that democracy depends upon. If the Deputy Chairman’s conduct is seen to suppress that voice, it raises serious questions about the health of our institutions,” he added.
Anand added: “The transformation from anti-establishment editor to a figure seen as the establishment’s man in the chair — that is a dramatic journey, and one that has left many in the journalism world deeply unsettled.”
With his nomination, Harivansh is widely expected to be re-elected Deputy Chairman — a position that carries enormous influence over how the Upper House conducts its business on a daily basis.
Political analysts say his third term will face heightened scrutiny from an emboldened opposition, making the balance he strikes between order and democratic expression more consequential than ever.
Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
About The Author
