Bihar: RJD's state vice president Vijendra Kumar Yadav to join JD(U) on July 7

PATNA: RJD’s state vice president and former MLA Vijendra Kumar Yadav, who quit Lalu Prasad’s party a few days back, will join Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) in the state capital on July 7.
"I have got a green signal from the JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar for joining his party. I will be reaching the state capital on July 7 and join the JD(U) in presence of its senior leaders," Vijendra told TOI over phone on Friday.
"JD(U) leadership has asked me to come with minimum people to join the party because of the norms of social distancing," he said.
Two-term MLA from Sandesh constituency, Vijendra is considered a strong backward class leader in Bhojpur region. His decision to join JD(U) has come as another setback for the RJD days after its five MLCs deserted the party and joined the JD(U). Two of the five MLCs- Radha Charan Sah and Ran Vijay Kumar Singh- hail from Bhojpur district.
Vijendra won the Sandesh seat for the RJD in 2000 and 2005. Two days after quitting the RJD, Vijendra told newsmen at Ara that he decided to quit Lalu Prasad’s party mainly because he was not getting assurance for contesting the forthcoming assembly election from Sandesh on the RJD symbol.
Vijendra’s close associates claim, the RJD leadership is inclined to field wife of the present MLA Arun Kumar Yadav who is currently evading his arrest in a rape case, from Sandesh seat. Arun is the younger brother of Vijendra. Arun learnt all nuances of politics from his elder brother and former MLA Bijendra. But now, both brothers have their own ambitions in politics.
A known face of backward class politics in Bhojpur, Bijendra won the Sandesh seat in 2000 defeating Rameshwar Prasad of the CPI-ML. He retained the seat in 2005, but lost to Sanjay Singh Tiger (of BJP) in 2010. But in the 2015 election, the RJD preferred to field his younger brother Arun Yadav from Sandesh. Arun won the seat for the RJD with a huge margin of more than 25,000 votes, defeating Sanjay Tiger.
Contacted, JD(U) state general secretary (headquarters) Navin Kumar Arya told TOI that the venue for Vijendra joining was yet to be finalized. “He and his supporters might be given joining at the residence of any senior leader of the JD(U) in order to maintain the norms of social distancing.”