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Chandrika Rai, 2 more RJD MLAs join JD(U)
PATNA
Three more RJD MLAs, including former minister Chandrika Prasad Rai, the estranged father-in-law of Tej Pratap Yadav, joined the ruling JD(U) on Thursday, just three days after as many MLAs crossed over to the Nitish Kumar-led party.
Rai’s entry into the JD(U) was widely speculated since the beginning of this year after the marriage of his daughter with RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s elder son ended on a bitter note and the latter moved the court for divorce.
Rai is an MLA from Parsa and had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha seat from Saran.
Soon after joining the JD(U), Rai directly attacked Tej Pratap Yadav. “He worked against me during the Lok Sabha polls, but the party did nothing against him. I have full faith in Nitish Kumar as he has drawn a big line of inclusive development and it will be difficult for anyone to come even near it,” he said.
He even hinted that his daughter could also contest and took a dig at the RJD for looking for safe seats for Tejashwi and Tej Pratap.
The surprise induction today was that of Jaivardhan Yadav, first-time MLA from Paliganj. He is the grandson of former Congress leader Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav, who wielded enormous clout among Yadavs and backward classes before the emergence of Lalu Prasad in the 1990s. Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav also served as minister in the state and the Centre. He was MLA six times and MP twice. He had later joined the Janata Dal.
All the three MLAs later called on the chief minister at his official residence.
JD(U) leader and minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said the RJD leaders switching to his party was a natural corollary as they all had clearly seen the writing on the wall.
Bihar’s health minister and BJP leader Mangal Pandey claimed more leaders from the opposition were waiting to switch to the NDA due to the “dictatorial style of RJD leader Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav”.