JD(U), Congress to skip RJD dharna, Lalu Prasad says ego issue

Lalu said he was in talks with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to launch a bigger protest. “I will also start touring Bihar to build momentum against the note ban. We are looking at a wider protest,” he said.

Watch What Else Is making News

Bihar Congress president Ashok Kumar Choudhary said: “We will not be part of RJD’s dharna as we have our own set of programmes.”

JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said: “We have spoken about reviewing demonetisation after the PM’s 50-day deadline. We are a different party and each party has its policy and programmes.”

Taking a dig at his alliance partners, Lalu said: “Ego ke chalte kuchh log mere dharne mein shaamil nahi hona chahte hai… Isko mahagathbandhan ke bikhraw ke roop me nahi dekhna chahiye. Mahagathbandhan ek hai (Some people do not want to join our protest because of an ego problem. This must not be taken as differences in the Grand Alliance, which is intact)”.

Lalu said the RJD had decided on the dharna as it was left with few political options. “After the dharna, I will travel across Bihar to unify people against the note ban. There will be a big rally at Patna.”