Rashtriya Janata Dal authorises Lalu Prasad to decide Lok Sabha candidates, new allies

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad was on March 20 “authorised” to take a call on the party’s candidates for Lok Sabha polls, besides exploring the possibility of bringing in new allies.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad was on March 20 "authorised" to take a call on the party's candidates for Lok Sabha polls, besides exploring the possibility of bringing in new allies.

This was announced by Abdul Bari Siddiqui, the RJD's principal national general secretary, after meetings of the party's State parliamentary party and national parliamentary party.

"After both meetings, a one-line proposal was moved that the party president be authorised to decide on candidates as well as explore possibilities of tie-ups with like-minded parties", said Mr. Siddiqui.

Replying to a query, he said "no discussions" took place about bringing into the RJD-helmed Mahagathbandhan fold disgruntled NDA ally Pashupati Kumar Paras, who resigned from the Union Cabinet the day before and former State Minister Mukesh Sahni, who heads Vikassheel Insaan Party.

He also said, "We realise that we need to be quick on announcing candidates. This is the reason why the national president has been authorised to decide the names so that the process does not get caught up in needless wrangles".

The development comes on a day when notifications have been issued for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, in which four seats of Bihar, including Gaya, Nawada, Aurangabad and Jamui are going to polls.

Incidentally, neither of the two main alliances in the State, the ruling NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan, has announced candidates for these four seats.