Senior RJD leader and former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh views the party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s decision to snap ties with the Congress as the “biggest mistake”. He also questioned Mr Lalu Yadav’s decision to concede 75 seats to the Ram Vilas Paswan led LJP for the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.
Mr Singh, the sitting Lok Sabha Member of the RJD, is one of the few members in the Lower House known for their articulation skill and ideological clarity. Besides, he has also been a long- time associate of the RJD chief. He said he has “difference of opinion” with Mr Lalu Yadav on a number of issues but he would remain with him.
“The biggest of all the mistakes committed by Lalu Prasad was snapping ties with Congress during last Lok Sabha poll,” he said. He did not elaborate but was hinting at the possible adverse impact that decision would have on RJD’s prospects in the upcoming polls in Bihar.
The RJD and Congress had an alliance and ran a coalition government in Bihar from 2000 to 2005. “By conceding 75 seats to LJP which does not have deserving candidates, he (Lalu) has virtually given many of these seats on the platter to the NDA,” he said.
Besides, he said some deserving candidates of the RJD had been denied tickets, which also could harm the party.
“I strongly raised my objections to Lalu Prasad on all these issues,” the 64-year-old socialist leader said.
“I have difference of opinion with Lalu on several issues,” said Mr Singh, the party’s national vice-president and a five-time RJD MP from Vaishali in Bihar. He, however, made it clear that “there is no question of me turning a rebel.”
His assertion on not turning “rebel” assumes significance as there was speculation about his quitting the party in the wake of reports that his relative Raghupati Singh was denied RJD ticket from Vaishali Assembly seat and is now contesting as a Congress candidate.