Lalu managed RJD poll plan from custody

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, serving a 14-year jail term in the fodder scam cases, seems to have managed his party’s poll planning – by cementing its alliances and selecting its candidates – while staying imprisoned in a Ranchi hospital.

The former Bihar chief minister has been in judicial custody at the paying ward of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) in neighbouring Jharkhand since August 30. According to doctors, he is being treated for blood pressure, kidney problems and other ailments.

Before the announcement of elections, he sought bail from the Supreme Court on health grounds, but his petition was rejected.

However, even under the hostile Bharatiya Janata Party government of Jharkhand, the RJD

chief seems to have taken advantage of Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Central Jail manual to evade scrutiny and guide his younger son Tejashwi Yadav, who now looks after the party affairs.

According to the jail manual, a prisoner can meet three persons every Saturday.

Over the past 32 weeks, Yadav met 96 people, including Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) founder Sharad Yadav, former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) president Upendra Kushwaha, former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) president Jeetan Ram Manjhi, Chatra RJD candidate Subhash Yadav and some Congress leaders.

Tejashwi met him at least 10 times, while his eldest son Tej Pratap met him twice. However, Yadav’s wife Rabri Devi did not meet him even once.

It was at these meetings that the seat sharing formula of the alliance partners in Bihar was finalised.