Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, August 21
After lawmakers, its’ time now for the vote bank to change loyalty in poll-bound Bihar!
The Core vote bank of Lalu Prasad Yadav is changing their loyalty well before the assembly elections campaign start.
Three RJD MLAs today joined JDU and pledged to work under the chief minister, Nitish Kumar. On August 17 to, three RJD MLAs had joined the ruling party. Last month five MLCs of RJD too changed their loyalty and joined JDU.
In the last one week, the six legislators leaving RJD and joining JDU are from Muslim and Yadav communities causing dent into the MY vote bank of Lalu Prasad. They were considered core supporters of the RJD president since 1990.
Chandrika Rai, a former transport minister and father -in-law of Lalu’s elder son Tejpratap Yadav today deserted RJD and joined JDU. Rai is son of the former chief minister, Daroga Prasad Rai, who was the first top leader of the Yadav community in Bihar. He represents the traditional constituency of Rais-Parsa in Saran district.
Jaibardhan Yadav, MLA from Paliganj and grandson of another Yadav stalwart Ramlakhan Singh Yadav too left RJD and joined JDU. His grandfather was fertiliser and chemicals minister in P V Narsimha Rao cabinet and his father Prakash Chandra was an MP from Congress party.
Faraz Fatmi, RJD MLA from Keoti in Madhubani who too joined JDU is son of the former union minister of state for education,M A M Fatmi who was in the UPA ministry.
Last week,Maheshwar Yadav,RJD legislator from Gaighat had also left RJD and joined JDU. JDU is aiming to attract members of the extremely backward castes from the RJD fold and succeeded in having Prema Chaudhury in its fold.
The RJD suffered yet another setback today when the HAM(S), a partner in the Grand Alliance also left the alliance. Former chief minister Jeetan Ram Manjhi, who is from Musahar (rat eaters) caste said the dalits were not getting fair treatment in the RJD.
Santosh Kumar Manjhi, MLC and party secretary general said the RJD leadership was not giving due recognition to the HAM(S),a major constituent of the Grand Alliance and the party president too felt humiliated before Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.
Manjhi was earlier in NDA and had left in 2017 to join Grand Alliance.
JDU leadership has agreed to offer ten seats to the Manjhi’s party in the NDA.
Manjhi after a meeting with his party leaders said HAM(S) will not have any alliance with any organisation in which RJD will be a partner.
