RJD Rajya Sabha MP Misa Bharti, who had lost Pataliputra seat to BJP’s Ram Kripal Yadav in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, said at a party event that she “felt like chopping the hands of Yadav with a gadasa (hay-cutting implement)”.
Yadav was considered a Lalu Prasad loyalist before he crossed over to the BJP before the last general elections. He had been denied a ticket from the RJD.
Misa, who is reportedly looking to contest again from Pataliputra, held a meeting of party workers on Thursday. While cautioning her workers against Yadav, she said her father had brought Yadav into politics when he used to cut hay for animals. “I used to respect him a lot. But the day I saw him during the launch of Sushil Modi’s book (Lalu Leela), I felt like chopping his hands with the same hay-cutting implement,” she said.
Misa, who lost by more than 30,000 votes in the Yadav-dominated Pataliputra seat in 2014, said she had got only 25 days to campaign, but was still overwhelmed by people’s support despite her loss.
The Grand Alliance is yet to declare seat-sharing for the 2019 polls, but Misa is likely to be the RJD candidate from Pataliputra opposite Union minister Yadav. Her brother Tej Pratap Yadav has already backed her candidature amid speculation about Maner MLA Bhai Birendra getting a ticket. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said RJD chief Lalu Prasad alone could decide candidates.
Yadav did not respond to Misa’s remarks. BJP spokesperson Rajib Ranjan said: “It only reflects RJD culture. They speak without thinking. This is linguistic intolerance.”
