Patna: Revolt over ticket distribution for the coming Assembly elections could not have come at a worse time for the RJD when the party was hoping to reap major gains by getting into an alliance with the JD(U) and the Congress in Bihar.
After being denied tickets, several senior RJD leaders, including some sitting MLAs, even hinted that they may launch a massive protest against the party’s decision. Indications came on Thursday during a crucial party meeting in Patna. Several senior RJD workers, while talking to this newspaper, said: “This kind of attitude is not accepted. We will oppose and may even sit on dharna against the decision of our party.”
Sources said the RJD rebels may switch over to other parties, including the Samajwadi Party, which announced on Thursday that they would be contesting the upcoming assembly elections in alliance with the NCP and regional party Samajwadi Janata Dal (Democratic).
“All options are open and we are just weighing possibilities and if we don’t get tickets from my party we may look for other options. But we can’t say anything at the moment as before taking any such decision we would fist like to discuss this with our party president,” one of the agitated RJD leaders said in Patna on Thursday.
According to the rebel RJD leaders, they have decided to meet RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on a one-to-one basis after they were informed about their names being struck off from the list. Mr Yadav, who was busy holding the party meeting in Patna on Thursday, explained that the party, despite all its efforts, could not give tickets to most of the sitting MLAs as several seats have gone to alliance partners.
“Our fight is big and leaders who always stood by the party must understand the situation and support us in our fight. They must also understand that both the JD(U) and the RJD are only contesting 100 seats each and the Congress has been given 40 seats. We have our limitations, times have changed,” RJD chief Lalu Yadav said, trying to convince party leaders.
