Lalu mocks Cong’s ‘high command’ culture

The former Bihar chief minister was addressing a meeting of his party’s senior leaders virtually from New Delhi, where he has been recuperating since his release from jail on bail earlier in fodder scam cases in which he was convicted.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Tuesday mocked ally Congress’s “high command” culture and dismissed its allegations that his party had violated coalition principles by fielding candidates for both assembly seats in Bihar going to vote in the October 30 bypolls — Kusheshwar Asthan in Darbhanga district and Tarapur in Munger district.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav addresses a training camp in Patna on Tuesday. Party chief Lalu Prasad also seen virtually. (ANI)

The former Bihar chief minister was addressing a meeting of his party’s senior leaders virtually from New Delhi, where he has been recuperating since his release from jail on bail earlier in fodder scam cases in which he was convicted.

“RJD is a self-made party and it never had the culture of high command in clearances of tickets to candidates. In other parties, including Congress, people used to wait for clearances of ticket selection from the high command. In my party, I have given tickets to candidates sitting under a tree,” Prasad said.

From Kusheshwar Asthan, a constituency reserved from candidates from scheduled caste (SC), RJD has fielded Ganesh Bharti, who belongs to the subcaste of mushars.

“Musahars are in large numbers in Kusheshwar Asthan, along with Yadavs and other castes . During my chief ministership, I had tried hard to uplift the socio-economic condition of the community considered most backward. Bharti is our candidate from the seat,” Prasad said.

In 2020 polls, Ashok Kumar of Congress had contested the seat as part of Opposition alliance led by RJD but lost to Janata Dal (United). This time, Congress has fielded Ashok Kumar’s son Atreya Kumar.

Attacking chief minister Nitish Kumar, Prasad said he was just fooling the people Bihar as he had failed to get the demand for special category status for Bihar fulfilled from his ally BJP, which leads the coalition government at the Centre.

In an apparent effort to dispel any misgivings that he was being held captive in Delhi at his daughter’s residence, as claimed by his elder son and MLA Tej Pratap Yadav two days ago, Prasad said he was would come to Patna once he gets approval from his doctors. “ I will come to Patna and be with you all soon,” he said.

The former union minister praised his younger son and heir apparent Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who was present among the audience. “Our party did very well under Tejashwi’s leadership in the assembly polls. It emerged as the single largest party though the NDA got majority by manipulation of results in tightly contested seats,” he said.