Even as the fodder scam haunts RJD chief lalu Prasad once again with an impending judgement in a case expected in around 15 days, Prasad exhorts party workers to remain united and not get nervous if the party is confronted with any crisis in near future.
In an oblique reference to the possibility of another jail term for him in case he is sentenced to a jail term in a fodder scam case, Prasad told his party workers that they should not get disheartened and work unitedly for the growth of the party even if the party is faced with some major crisis.
Prasad was speaking at the Establishment Day ceremony of his party in Patna on Friday.
The Jharkhand High Court had rejected Prasad’s petition, seeking transfer of one of his fodder scam cases from a Special CBI Court in Ranchi.
The case relates to fraudulent withdrawal of nearly Rs35 crore from Chaibasa treasury and is among 53 cases related to the fodder scam.
Earlier, the date of the the judgement was fixed on July 15 but now since Prasad has been given more time to argue his case, a new date for the judgement would be fixed once the arguments on his behalf are completed by July 18.
Scotching all speculations about RJD MlAs deserting the party in view of the current uncertainty when the fodder scam case haunts him, Prasad also recalled how RJD leaders and workers were totally united when he had to serve a jail term in 1996.
“Everybody was sobbing when I was going to the jail,” he remarked.
lalu also directed the State party president Ramchandra Purbe to form a team of 40 leaders to strengthen the party, a direction which is widely seen as the RJD chief’s exercise to ensure smooth functioning of the party in case he is sent to the jail in the fodder scam case.
He said that a workers meeting would be held at Rajgir soon to discuss the party’s future course of strategy and also chalk out programmes to improve the partyRss prospects in the election.
Taking a dig at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Prasad said that one should not have any false impression that Kumar and the BJP are at two different poles now following the split between the JD(U) and BJP.
“In fact, Nitish Kumar is a deer, sent by the BJP and the RSS to woo voters before the general elections,’ he remarked while referring how Goddess Sita was lured by the sight of a golden deer.
“Everybody is understanding the political design of Nitish Kumar and he will be given a suitable reply in the election,” he added.
RJD chief also demanded resignation of Nitish Kumar on the Bagha police firing which claimed lives of six Tharu tribals recently.
He said that his party will support in the Government formation exercise in Jharkhand where the JMM, RJD, Congress and Independents are in the process of installing a Government in the State by forging an alliance for the purpose.