RJD infighting: Tej Pratap gives two-day deadline to Tejashwi
Patna, Apr 2 (IBNS): RJD chief Lalu Prasad's older son Tej Pratap Yadav on Tuesday said he had given his younger brother and Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav two days to decide whether the RJD would field his preferred candidates from Sheohar and Jehanabad, reports said.
The 30-year-old rebel has said he would otherwise field his candidates from his Lalu-Rabri Morcha outfit.
“I have told my brother to take a decision within next two days on whether he would make my two candidates the party’s nominee from Sheohar and Jehanabad. After the deadline, I will take my own decision. My brother has assured me he would talk on the matter,” he told Hindi news channel News18 Bihar-Jharkhand.
“I am not a rebel. I have launched the front as I want unity in the RJD and take the party ahead. There are mischievous elements in the party, who have created misunderstanding among family members and also trying to weaken the RJD. I will not let it happen,” he said.
RJD insiders, however, Tej Pratap is acting the way he is to increase his clout in the party where Tejashwi runs the show after Lalu.
A day after the RJD had announced its official candidates for upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Tej Pratap Yadav last Saturday openly revolted in the party by announcing the name of Mr Chandra Prakash as his own candidate from Jehanabad seat while the official candidate of the party is Surendra Prasad Yadav.
Tej Pratap, who had expressed his annoyance on March 28 over selection of party candidates for Lok Sabha elections without seeking his opinion and also resigned as patron of students' wing of the party, gave another jolt by announcing Chandra Prakash as his own candidate from Jehanabad.
"Mr Surendra Prasad Yadav was given party ticket from Jehanabad in 2014 Lok Sabha elections but he had lost so there was no reason to give him opportunity to contest from this seat again and a new candidate should be given the chance," Tej Pratap said while interacting with his supporters from Jehanabad who had called on him in Patna. He appeared to be in no mood to relent as he had asked his supporters to make preparations for the filing of the nomination of Chandra Prakash from Jehanabad seat on April 24, saying he would also grace the occasion.
Tej Pratap had made his choice public of two candidates - Chandra Prakash from Jehanabad and Angesh Kumar Singh from Sheohar. When the leader of Opposition and his younger brother Tejaswi Prasad Yadav was asked to comment on the issue by media persons, he had said that everyone in the party could give his suggestion. He had also maintained that even workers in RJD were free to give their suggestions.
Image Credit: UNI
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