RJD lawmakers pass resolution empowering Tejashwi to take party decisions

The RJD MLAs on Tuesday passed a resolution authorising Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to take all calls related to the party’s strategy inside and outside the House.

PATNA: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLAs in Bihar have passed a resolution authorising leader of the opposition, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to take all calls related to the party’s strategy inside and outside the House during a state legislature party held on Tuesday late evening, leaders aware of the matter said.

The resolution by the RJD MLAs has come after Tejashwi Yadav skipped a party meeting on the selection of Rajya Sabha candidates. (PTI)

The decision is indicative of how the 32-year-old Yadav scion has got an elevation in the party’s hierarchy as the de-facto number 2 as well as the heir apparent to the ailing RJD chief, Lalu Prasad Yadav, by wielding more powers in organisaitonal matters.

The party’s state secretary general and former member of Parliament (MP), Alok Kumar Mehta said the resolution was passed with an aim to ensure smooth running of affairs and swift decision making in matters of legislative affairs and other burning issues, be it caste census, inflation, education and other matters.

“Tejashwi is the leader of the (opposition in) state legislature and he has been authorised to take all calls on party’s strategy inside the house and outside as well be it caste census, membership drive, organisational strengthening and also ground level movements. This has been done so that the party can be strengthened more by swift decision making,” Mehta said.

However, Mehta refuted the perception that the decision was another step of making Tejashwi as the heir to the RJD chief, saying that the resolution had clearly mentioned that “all decisions will be taken by the advice of the RJD chief”.

“It is fact that the RJD chief is unwell and Tejaswi has been steering the party in many fronts including on the caste census demand. But not much should be read about it as the RJD chief continues to be the head of the party,” Mehta said.

But, some leaders of the party said that Tuesday’s resolution was nothing but a smokescreen to unofficially declare younger Yadav scion as the ‘real boss’ of the party and also send across a message that ailing RJD chief is slowly passing the baton of power to his younger son in a bid to check speculations of growing friction between Tejashwi and his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav over gaining control over the party.

There were speculations of a rift within the RJD when Tejashwi skipped a meeting of the party’s state parliamentary and central parliamentary board on May 17 where ailing RJD chief was authorised to take a call on Rajya Sabha nominees. Later, the party announced Tejashwi’s eldest sister Misa Bharti and Faiyaz Ahmed as its nominees.

“The timing of the resolution is important because it has come just close on the heels of Tejashwi staying away from the selection process of RS nominees,” said a senior party leader, wishing not to be quoted.

Meanwhile, some senior leaders in the party have dubbed the move as a violation of the rules of the party constitution.

“All policy matters, be it organisational matters or the party’s stand on important issues, can only be taken by the party’s national executive and national council. These two bodies can pass resolutions. The state legislature meeting cannot pass any such resolutions. Now when Tejashwi would take all calls, what will RJD chief Lalu Prasad do?” asked a former minister and senior party leader, considered close to the RJD chief. The senior leader had skipped yesterday’s meeting.

RJD state president Jagdanand Singh, who is considered as a mentor to the younger Yadav scion, without making any direct comment on the party’s resolution chose his words carefully to assert that Tejashwi would be running the show in the party. He told newsmen that “people of Bihar have already accepted the leadership of Tejashwi and he will rule the state in the near future”. “The role RJD has in Bihar for the next 30 years will be fulfilled by Tejashwi, who is prepared to lead the party and also grooming a new set of leaders who will be assisting him in the long journey,” Singh said.

The RJD had made a first move to project Tejashwi as political heir to the RJD chief way back in November 2017 during the party’s national council meeting, where a resolution was passed declaring the younger Yadav scion as the chief ministerial face of the party.

Meanwhile, the Janata Dal-Unted (JD-U) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have called the RJD’s resolution regarding Tejashwi’s new status as a move that has come on predictable lines. “Tejashwi was calling the shots in the party for the last two years. “Now, it has just an official stamp,” said Arvind Nishad, JD-U state spokesperson. The BJP’s Arvind Singh was more sarcastic saying that the Yadav scion has now virtually taken over his party after controlling his family.

Congress state spokesperson A Tiwary said the RJD’s resolution empowering Tejashwi was an internal matter of the party while asserting the move was welcome as a new leadership will evolve now.