New Delhi: Upset over denial of ticket from Patliputra Lok Sabha seat, RJD leader Ram Kripal Yadav, a close aide of Lalu Prasad, on Saturday quit from all party posts but said he was in the party "as of now".
Addressing a press conference two days after RJD named Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti as candidate from Patliputra in Bihar, he disputed his party chief's version that he had not expressed his inclination to contest from the seat.
Referring to Misa Bharti's visit to his home on Friday and staying put for five hours in a bid to persuade him, he said it was an attempt at "emotional blackmail".
Yadav, currently a Rajya Sabha member and a three-time Lok Sabha MP from Patna, said he was still in the party and has not quit Rajya Sabha.
He said the party, which was born to uphold the principles of social justice, now appeared to be interested in "family justice".
Misa Bharati had rushed to Delhi to meet Yadav following reports of the MP being upset over denial of ticket from Patliputra. "I am very attached to the party and its workers. I think, the way Misa came to me yesterday, it was an 'emotional atyachar' or a 'political stunt' which was used against a simple person like me," Yadav told reporters.
Yadav said he decided to quit party posts with a "heavy heart" and his written resignation will follow. He, however, refrained from commenting on the possibility of joining another party or contesting Lok Sabha elections. "Other decisions will be taken later," Yadav said.
He said that despite conveying his willingness to fight the Lok Sabha elections long time back to his party national president, such a decision was taken. "I wanted to fight Lok Sabha elections. This was the demand of the workers as well as that of the people. One year back, I had conveyed my feelings to the party national president. I had said even if 'Madam' becomes candidate, it will be ok with me. But the decision was taken. Despite that I did not utter a single word against the party," Yadav said.
Lalu Prasad has been grappling with dissent in the party ahead of Lok Sabha election. 13 RJD MLAs had resigned from the party last month but later nine had attended the legislature party meeting.
