The drama within the RJD over contesting the Patliputra lok Sabha seat continued on Saturday with long time lalu Prasad loyalist Ram Kripal Yadav on Saturday resigning from all party posts and terming the RJD chief’s daughter Misa’s apparent mollifying bid as “emotional atyachar” and a “political stunt” used against him.
Misa, who had earlier offered her seat to Yadav, subsequently did a complete U-turn after returning to Patna. She announced that she would contest the seat at all costs and that it was Yadav who was doing a “nautanki”. For his part, lalu made it clear there was no going back on Misa’s candidature when he said one does not change the horse midway in a race.
While Yadav continues to be an RJD member, he has maintained his options are open adding fuel to speculation about his switchover to the BJP. Yadav was secretary-general of RJD and a member of the party’s Parliamentary Board. “I am very attached to the party and its workers. I think the way Misa came to me on Saturday, it was an “emotional atyachar” or a “political stunt” which was used against a simple person like me,” Yadav told reporters in Delhi referring to Misa’s visit to his home here where she stayed put for five hours in a bid to persuade him.
He said that despite conveying his willingness to fight the lok Sabha elections a long time ago to his party national president, such a decision was taken. Following Yadav’s announcement, Misa responded in a hurriedly convened Press meet in Patna by asserting that she would contest from Patliputra constituency as chacha Ram Kripal has no respect for her feelings.
“I was there at his residence for over five hours but he neither came nor called up to speak to me. Now, he calls my visit an emotional atyachar and says the party has derailed from its track. He is still in RJD so he should come and take the party on the right track,” fumed Misa. She said that RJD Parliamentary Board at its meeting here, which was also attended by Yadav, had authorised lalu Prasad for candidate selection.