Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar, five RJD MLCs jumped ships and joined the JDU. In a major blow to the party, senior party leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh resigned from the post of the national vice president. Sources indicate that he was very unhappy with the induction of LJP MP Rama Singh in the party.
Immediately after resigning from the party the JD-U MLCs paid a visit to Nitish Kumar and sources indicate that there can be more such defections.
Those who defected include Sanjay Prasad, Mohmmed Kamar Alam, Radhacharan Shah, Ranvijay Singh and Dilip Rai. Talking to The Daily Guardian, Radha Charan Shah said, “We were unhappy with the shape of things within the RJD. There is utter chaos there and the party workers are never given any importance. Nitish Kumar is doing a commendable job for the last 15 years so we decided to join him. In the days to come there will be dozens of RJD leaders who will resign from the party and join the JD-U.”
Similar sentiments were echoed by Dilip Rai and others.
The RJD had 8 MLCs in the Vidhan Parisad and since 5 of the 8 MLCs defected to the JD-U the antidefection law is not applicable to them.
Reacting to the defection, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “Ntish Kumar did not come out of his house for 90 days during the lockdown. This is not going to benefit the people of the state. I tried to raise issues of growing corona cases, unemployment and impending flood but he never paid heed to it. He has slaughtered the mandate of the people.”
On the question of Raguvansh Prasad Sngh resigning from party posts, Tejashwi said, “He is like a guardian to me. He has nurtured the party. Right now he is undergoing treatment and I pray for his fast recovery.”
Things do not seem to be well for the Mahagathbandhan as well. With Jeetan Ram Manjhi’s ultimatum to constitute a coordination committee by 25 June hanging over, a lot of turmoil can be expected from within the alliance. Elections are slated this year in October and November and the RJD seems to be looking at bleak future with Lalu Prasad Yadav being in jail.