With son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav holding the chair of the leader of Opposition in the Assembly, RJD supremo lalu Prasad wants wife Rabri Devi to get same post in the legislative Council. The party has staked claim for this position recommending the name of the former CM. But given the strength of the party in the Upper House it seems not possible.
The party is required to have at least nine members in the Council to seek the post of the leader of Opposition but it has only seven members. Since the BJP was the largest party in the House, Sushil Kumar Modi was holding this post from 2013. But with BJP joining the Government Modi has become Deputy CM.
Bihar RJD president Ramchandra Purbe have filed an application for recognition of his party as the main opposition party saying that RJD legislature party leader Rabri Devi should be recognised as leader of Opposition with all the facilities and privileges. The leader of Opposition is granted similar status and privileges as accorded to a Cabinet Minister. Rabri Devi has earlier served as leader of Opposition in the Assembly.
“I have received the application and will take a decision as per the rules,” said Deputy Chairman of the Council Haroon Rashid who is acting as Chairman. The JD(U) has opposed granting status of leader of Opposition to Rabri Devi and cited the example of Congress in the lok Sabha which due to shortage of required strength has not been accorded officially the opposition party. “The problem with lalu is that he wants all the main posts to his family members ignoring the seniority and merit of other leaders of party. The RJD has no numbers still he he insisting to get this privilege,” said JD(U) spokesman and MlC Neeraj Kumar.
Former Deputy CM Tejashwi, who has taken up cudgels to “expose” CM Nitish Kumar, will launch his ‘yatra’ from Bhitiharwa Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi in West Champaran district from August 9.
The RJD has not given a name of this yatra like Nitish Kumar’s yatras but Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said it should be named “Benami sampatti bachao yatra.” He said, “let him set out on his yatra and he will be flooded with questions as to how come he amassed such huge properties at such a young age. He has still not explained the source of his income.”