‘Want them to come together’: Lalu Prasad Yadav favours Tejashwi-Chirag alliance in Bihar

Throwing his weight behind embattled LJP leader Chirag Paswan, RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav Tuesday expressed that he is in favour of an alliance between his son Tejashwi and Chirag.

Lalu said Chirag continues to be the leader of LJP despite facing a rebellion by five MPs of his party led by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras. “Whatever happened (rift in LJP), Chirag Paswan continues to be the leader of LJP,” Lalu was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

“Yes, I want them…(to be together),” the RJD chief said while pitching for an alliance between Tejashwi and Chirag.

The RJD veteran also targeted the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), alleging that they “cheated and defeated his party “by 10-15 votes” in the Assembly elections held last year.

वरिष्ठ समाजवादी नेता शरद भाई से मुलाक़ात कर स्वास्थ्य लाभ संबंधित जानकारी प्राप्त की।

सामाजिक, आर्थिक, शैक्षणिक और राजनीतिक असमानता के विरुद्ध हमारा लंबा संघर्ष रहा है। हम समाजवादियों का संघर्ष ही संस्कार है। सांप्रदायिकता और ग़ैर-बराबरी के ख़िलाफ अंतिम दम तक लड़ाई जारी रहेगी। pic.twitter.com/W93QWwa5wI

— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) August 3, 2021

“We were about to form government in Bihar. I was in jail but my son Tejashwi Yadav fought them (ruling alliance in the state) alone. They cheated and defeated us (RJD) by 10-15 votes,” Yadav told reporters.

The RJD chief made the remarks after he met Sharad Yadav, who is recuperating from a long spell of illness. Both leaders held talks for over an hour.

Lalu told reporters that the absence of socialists leaders like Sharad Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and himself had resulted in neglect of people-related issues in Parliament.

He also called for a probe in the Pegasus snooping case. “Yes, it (probe) should be done. Names of those involved should be published,” he told reporters.

On Monday, the RJD supremo had met Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav in New Delhi.

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav with Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh in New Delhi. (Twitter/yadavakhilesh)

“Met the country’s senior-most socialist friend Shri Mulayam Singhji and enquired about his wellbeing. We have common concerns and fight about farmers, inequality, the poor and the unemployed,” Lalu had tweeted after the meeting.

He also tweeted pictures of the meeting, and had said, “Today, the country is in dire need of equality and socialism, not capitalism and communalism.”

(Inputs from ANI, PTI)