Chirag is the real leader of LJP, says Lalu
PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad on Tuesday backed Chirag Paswan, who was recently upstaged in his Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) by his uncle and MP Pashupati Kumar Paras, and said he wanted him to work with his younger son Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD’s heir apparent.
“Chirag has all-round support of his people and has emerged as real leader of his party,” Prasad told reporters in New Delhi after meeting his ailing colleague and former Union minister Sharad Yadav at the latter’s residence.
Asked whether Tejashwi and Chirag would join hands, he said he wanted both the young leaders to work together.
The 74-year-old RJD chief, who is himself convalescing after a long spell of illness at his daughter and MP Misa Bharti’s residence in New Delhi, said, “Sharad ji is our senior and his illness and absence from Parliament has caused a vacuum. I, Mulayam Singh ji and Sharad bhai struggled hard and raised issues related to Mandal commission and caste census in Parliament,” he said, adding that caste-based census should be done at all costs. Prasad met Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Monday.
Sharad Yadav, who formed his own outfit after falling out with Nitish Kumar and quitting JD(U), contested the 2019 parliamentary polls as RJD candidate from Madhepura but lost to Dinesh Chandra Yadav of JD(U).
All three leaders were once part of the old Janata Dal. “We are trying to unite old Janata Dal forces. Talks are on. Efforts to form a third front is also a welcome step as it will give a viable alternative to people,” he said.
On Bihar, Prasad said RJD came very close to power in 2020 assembly polls but could not form government due to “electoral manipulation”. “I was in jail during the polls, but Tejashwi fought alone and was close to forming the government. But some candidates lost by a margin of 10-15 votes due to electoral manipulation,” he said.
Prasad had been incarcerated since December 2017 following conviction in fodder scam cases and was released on bail in April this year. Asked if he still has a place in heart for his friendturned-foe, CM Nitish Kumar, he said, “People make a place in your heart and then relationships turn sour. Yes, Kumar was with us,” Prasad said, evading a direct reply. Asked about Kumar’s possibility of coming with the RJD again, Prasad did not comment. On JD(U)’s bid to project Kumar as “PM material”, Prasad said, “Let PM Modi take note of it. BJP has already said there is no vacancy for PM post.”