Former CM, ex-MLA join RJD

Patna: Former chief minister Satish Prasad Singh, former Jehanabad MLA Munnilal Yadav and dozens of office-bearers of state unit of Akhil Bharatiya Kushwaha Mahasabha (ABKM) led by its state president Baban Singh Kushwaha joined the RJD in the presence of party chief Lalu Prasad here on Sunday.

Singh, who quit BJP on Friday protesting inadequate representation of Kushwaha community in ticket distribution for the Lok Sabha polls, said, “We have now decided to work under the banner of RJD because we feel Lalu Prasad is the real fighter for the cause of social justice and secularism.”

Singh, the chief patron of ABKM, said its members would now campaign for the RJD-Congress-NCP alliance candidates in Bihar. Singh, who had served as the state chief minister for five days between January 28 and February 1, 1968, had joined the BJP on September 22, 2013. He said, the BJP leadership had earlier assured to provide at least six tickets to Kushwaha community in Bihar, but the party failed to implement it in ticket distribution.

ABKM state president Baban Singh Kushwaha said the national committee of ABKM had earlier decided to support BJP in north India after the saffron party had assured to provide at least 51 tickets to the members of Kushwaha community in seven states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Rajasthan. But the BJP leadership forgot its promise. Hence, the ABKM decided to quit BJP in all states. “In Bihar, we resigned from the BJP on Friday, while in Uttar Pradesh, the mahasabha members sent their resignation on Sunday,” he said.

Kushwaha also said the ABKM has decided to support RJD in Bihar while in other states, its local units would decide whom to support, except the BJP.

JD (U) leader and president of Supaul District Mukhiya Sangh, Lakshmikant Bharti Mandal, along with dozens of his supporters and former pramukh of Paliganj block, Meena Devi, also joined the RJD. Former MLA Munnilal said he had returned to his old home after remaining in JD (U) for four years. He criticized the policies of CM Nitish Kumar.

Courtesy: TNN