Sans Lalu Yadav, RJD in big trouble as 5 of its MLCs switch to JD(U)

Patna: The opposition RJD suffered a major jolt after five of its sitting MLCs joined Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) on Tuesday.

RJD insiders said that the MLCs resigned as they were not happy with the party’s leadership in the absence of RJD Chief Lalu Yadav, who is serving a jail term in fodder scam cases.

The MLCs who defected to the JD(U) are Radha Charan Shah, Sanjay Prasad, Dilip Rai, Qamar Alam and Ranvijay Kumar Singh.

After Tuesday’s development, the RJD's strength in the legislative council will be reduced to just three from eight. The JD(U), on the other hand, will become the single largest party with 21 MLCs in the 75-member council. The BJP currently has 16 MLCs in the legislative council. The polling for nine seats in the legislative council is scheduled on July 6.

“We joined JD(U) because we want to be associated with a leader who has worked for the overall development of Bihar”, MLC Dilip Rai said after joining JD(U) on Tuesday.

The development is also being as a major setback for Tejashwi Yadav and especially former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, who is currently the leader of the opposition in the state legislative council.

Party sources said that “Rabri Devi may lose her status of leader of the opposition as the party doesn’t have adequate numbers in the legislative council”.

In another blow, its national vice-president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has sent a letter offering to step down from the post. The 74-year-old senior RJD leader, who tested positive for COVID-19 a week earlier after complaints of fever and cough, has been admitted to AIIMS Patna.

Sources close to him said that Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has been miffed over reports that RJD was planning to induct don-turned-politician Rama Singh in the party.

Rama Singh, who was earlier associated with Ram Vilas Paswan’s party LJP, had defeated Raghuvansh Prasad Singh during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in his stronghold Vaishali.

“The RJD should learn to respect its leaders. Even senior leaders like Raghuvansh Prasad Singh are not getting the respect and honour he deserves. Those who have joined JD(U) want to be associated with a party which respects its leaders and works for the development of Bihar”, JD(U) MP Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh said.