Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders criticised the Bihar Assembly Speaker for recognising the breakway unit of the party. “This is a complete fraud and an exercise by the state government to engineer a split in the RJD, effectively the real Opposition in Bihar. Six MLAs named in the letter are here, denied having signed any such letter, while the rest are outside Patna,” said RJD legislature party leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui. He also questioned the rationale behind recognising a “supposed group” of 13 MLAs, while rules demanded at least 15 for the process.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, in Delhi busy trying to persuade LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan not to join the NDA, appeared shocked. “ The news is not true,” he said. Samrat Chaudhary and Javed Iqbal Ansari, the RJD MLAs admittedly at the forefront of the split move, spoke out against Mr Prasad as they announced their decision to quit the party. “Mr Yadav has turned the RJD into a B team of the Congress and looks keen on merging with the party. As many as 13 MLAs have signed the letter to quit,” said Mr Chaudhary.
