Dropping a hint that his younger son Tejaswi Yadav will be the party’s chief ministerial candidate in the next Bihar Assembly elections, due in 2020, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Friday said “it’s a party issue. Since the elections are far away, the party will mull over it when the time comes.” Mr Prasad also slammed the Nitish Kumar government for “splurging” money on preparations for a two-day conference of Power Ministers which was later cancelled.
“He [Tejaswi Yadav] is way ahead of all of us in terms of leadership ability and oratory skills. His being the RJD’s CM candidate in 2020 is a party issue. Since the elections are far away, we’ll take a decision on it when the time comes”, Mr. Prasad told media persons at his residence in Patna. Tejaswi Yadav was Deputy Chief Minister in the previous grand alliance government. He is the Opposition leader in the State Assembly.
On Wednesday, the State RJD president, Ram Chandra Purve, proposed the name of Tejaswi Yadav as the party’s next chief ministerial candidate. But senior leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh had expressed his disagreement. “The issue of a chief ministerial candidate is premature and since elections are quite far away we’ll take a decision at an appropriate time,” Mr Singh, who is also the national vice-president of the party, said. “At party meetings, leaders tend to express their sentiments and Mr. Purve has done the same,” he added.
Asked for his reaction, Mr. Prasad said: “Please leave this issue as it is… I told you all we’ll take a decision on this at the right time”.
The Bharatiya Janata Party said: “Lalu’s statement is an open endorsement of dynasty rule in his party.” State BJP president Nityanand Rai told media persons, “earlier Mr. Prasad was Bihar CM, then his wife became the Chief Minister and now the younger son … it’s a glaring example of dynastic rule which the people of Bihar will not accept.”
Slamming the government for “splurging huge money” on a two-day conference which was cancelled later, Mr. Prasad said: “We’ve learnt that about ₹60 crore was spent on elaborate preparations as the Nitish government was viewing the conference as an opportunity to get publicity. We wish to know why after so much of buzz, the event was called off. ”
