Just ahead the release of Lalu Yadav’s biograghy ‘Gopalganj to Raisina: My Political Journey’, Bihar’s two major political parties Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United ) have indulged into a heated argument which revolves around state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s alleged attempt to outreach RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and convince him to facilitate Kumar’s re-entry in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’.
In a series of Twitter exchanges, RJD and JDU have junked each-other’s remarks.
Lalu Yadav in his soon-to-be-released book claimed that Nitish Kumar made several attempts to convince him for reconsidering Kumar’s re-entry in Grand alliance. Several media reports quoted Yadav who stated that, “Kumar sent JD(U) vice-president Prashant Kishor five times, attempting on each occasion, to convince Lalu to facilitate Kumar’s re-entry into the “secular” fold.
“Kishor seemed to indicate that if I were to assure in writing my party’s support to JD(U), the latter would pull out of the BJP alliance and rejoin the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance). Though I was not bitter with Nitish, I had lost trust in him completely. Moreover, I was not sure how the people who had voted for the grand alliance in 2015, and the other parties that had united against the BJP all over the country would react if I accepted Kishor’s offer,” he has said.
Lalu Yadav claims “Nitish Kumar wanted to rejoin mahagathbandhan”; Prashant Kishor junks statement
Rubbishing Lalu’s remarks, JD(U) Vice-President Prashant Kishor said that the statement made by Lalu Prasad Yadav that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar wanted to return to the Grand Alliance after severing ties in 2017 were bogus. Taking to the micro-blogging site, Kishore attacked RJD, stating:
“This is nothing but a poor attempt seeking relevance by a leader whose best days are behind him,” says Kishor. “Yes, we did meet many times before I joined JD(U), but if I were to tell what all was discussed then he would be quite embarrassed.”
The claims made by Laluji as reported are BOGUS. This is nothing but a poor attempt seeking relevance by a leader whose best days are behind him.
Yes, we did meet many times before I joined JDU, but if I were to tell what all was discussed then he would be quite embarrassed. https://t.co/9B5clUBxea
— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) April 5, 2019
In a quick response to Kishor’s remarks, JD(U) mocked Nitish Kumar and his party, stating that RJD chief has experience which goes “beyond the number of years U hv as ur age”.
Dear PM/CM maker!An advice,Lalu Ji has more exp. of peoples’ politics from remotest parts of India to the nerve centre of politics in Delhi and goes beyond the number of years U hv as ur age. Ur ideology is to draw huge money frm ur masters & cover it under ‘election management’. https://t.co/9Uwi6L5o2L
— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) April 5, 2019
Dear PM/CM maker! Are you under the influence of something. You are talking of embarrassing a phenomenon called Laluji! Aren’t you kidding? Remember! The regime at Delhi is most scared of this phenomenon and U are acting on behalf of that duo. U R just badly EXPOSED.. https://t.co/9Uwi6LmYUj
— Rashtriya Janata Dal (@RJDforIndia) April 5, 2019
Scrambling to his father’s aid, RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav backed Lalu’s claims and said, “Nitish Kumar sent messages to my father, to me and various Congress leaders with a slew of deals within six months of allying with BJP.” Sharpening his attack at Kishor, he further questioned the JD(U) leader’s intention. “Does Kishor meet anyone without an agenda?”, he said, adding that Kumar will never be accepted back, “even if he chooses to join the mahagthbandhan today”.