Rai made the announcement at a press conference at his residence in Muzaffarpur's Chandni Chowk on Sunday, confirming he will formally join the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday. He said that after spending a long stretch of his political career with the RJD, he had come to feel the party had drifted away from the core ideology and principles on which Lalu Prasad Yadav originally built it.

Rai was direct about where he placed the blame, saying the party's direction has shifted under its current leadership. He alleged that under Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD is no longer following the founding policies that once defined its identity, and said this was the central reason behind his decision to leave. He was careful to frame the move as ideological rather than personal, saying it wasn't driven by any individual grievance but by a genuine shift in his political thinking — adding that the party's working style and ideological commitment are no longer what they once were.

Rai said he has been influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the BJP's policies, and spoke positively of the Bihar BJP's working style, saying he wants to work alongside the party for the state's and country's development. He also praised several Centre-led decisions specifically, calling the 2019 removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir a historic step that strengthened national unity, and welcomed Bihar's proposed delimitation process, describing the government as making a series of decisions aimed at strengthening India's democratic framework.

Rai carries real weight in North Bihar's politics — he's considered influential in Sitamarhi and its surrounding areas, and his departure just ahead of the Assembly elections could affect electoral arithmetic in the region. Political observers suggest a senior, long-standing RJD face leaving the party could also have a wider impact on the opposition alliance, particularly in North Bihar, where the electoral contest is already expected to be closely fought.

The RJD has not issued any official response to Rai's resignation or the allegations he raised. Attention now turns to Monday, when Rai is expected to formally join the BJP — after which political circles will be watching closely to see how it shapes the trajectory of Bihar's election campaign.