Lalu's public statement, seeking an apology from Bhola Prasad Singh for criticising RJD MP Jabir Hussain or face expulsion has drawn sharp reactions.
PATNA: Even as railway minister Lalu Prasad is in an upbeat mood after the installation of UPA government in Jharkhand and over his new image as a "Management Guru", there appears to be simmering discontent within his party. Lalu's public statement, seeking an apology from senior party leader Bhola Prasad Singh for criticising RJD MP Jabir Hussain or face expulsion has drawn sharp reactions from his own party's national spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari.
Tiwari has questioned why Lalu is speaking against a senior party leader only when his own two brothers-in-law, Sadhu Yadav and Subhash Yadav, openly carried out anti-party activities? "Had he (Lalu) raised the issue within the party, this question would not have been asked publicly," Tiwari stated in a press note issued on Monday. He said numerous RJD workers wanted to know from Lalu what action he was taking against his own brother-in-law Subhash Yadav who had publicly used derogatory terms fro Jabir Hussain.
"Bhola Prasad Singh is being penalised. Subhash Yadav is being honoured. What sort of justice is this Laluji?" asked Tiwari sarcastically. Tiwari recalled that Subhash had campaigned for the defeat of RJD candidates in the last assembly polls. "Danapur assembly seat candidate Ramanand Yadav had complained to you in front of me that Subhash was working for his defeat. What did you do? Leave others, Subhash has said so many things against you even at the level even your political opponents do not speak," Tiwari questions Lalu in the press release, recalling that Subhash had openly boasted that before the Rajya Sabha polls, Lalu had come to his house and asked him to forgive him. Tiwari wondered how Subhash could get away easily despite his outbursts against Lalu.
He recalled that Subhash, after taking money, was instrumental in giving away a ticket to a candidate in Jehanabad district. Later, Lalu had to change the candidate under party workers' pressure. He recalled that Dadan Pahalwan used to publicly abuse him even when he was a member of the Rabri ministry and Sadhu Yadav had made public statements against Siwan RJD MP Mohd Shahbuddin. "What did you do to Sadhu"? Tiwari asks Lalu. He said due to heavy deployment of security guards around Lalu, the party workers are unable to meet Lalu. "There is deep resentment within the party", Tiwari said, urging Lalu to get himself and the party rid of Subhash and Sadhu.