RJD to meet today, to discuss path without Lalu Prasad Yadav

RJD chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad. (Express Photo/Dilip Kagda)

The RJD on Saturday will meet under the leadership of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi to discuss the party’s strategy at the state and Central level in the wake of party chief Lalu Prasad’s sentencing in a fodder scam case on the same day. Even though the party would not formally give a bigger role to Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, RJD state president Ramchandra Purve said Tejashwi, by his position as Leader of Opposition, would be the natural RJD nominee for the Chief Minister’s post in the 2020 Assembly polls.

Top party leaders are likely to attend the RJD’s “emergency meeting” to discuss individual roles of leaders in the likely absence of Lalu. Sources said Tejashwi would read out a letter from his father. “The letter would carry Lalu Prasad’s message to stay calm and united in the face of an adverse situation and fight Fascist and communal forces against its policies of suppression and political vendetta,” said an RJD source.

RJD state president Ramchandra Purve told reporters: “Our Saturday meeting was pre-scheduled. We will discuss the emergent political situation. We will also discuss how to go to our people.” Asked if the party would discuss a bigger role for Tejashwi in wake of adverse political circumstances, Purve said: “We follow the British system of Parliament. Tejashwi is the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and by that position, he is our natural nominee for the CM position…”

Talking about the RJD chief’s sentencing, Purve said: “There are three types of courts — people’s court, God’s court and the judiciary. We have faith in all three courts.” RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tewary said: “The media is reading too much into the leadership issue of Tejashwi. We will discuss a whole lot of issues such as our sustained fight for social justice and reservation.”