JD general secretaries take tough stand, split imminent

The tough stand taken by the Janata Dal general secretaries against Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav on Friday indicated that the party was on the verge of a split.

Asserting that the Dal should take a decision on the party's presidential poll within 48 hours, Wasim Ahmed and Mohan Prakash said they would prevent the JD's derecognition at any cost.

The Dal cannot be blackmailed by one leader (Laloo Yadav), they said, adding that the party's 20 million members were fed up with his whims and fancies. ''Even state unit chiefs and national council members are furious,'' the two general secretaries said.

The crisis in the Dal was triggered when Laloo Yadav alleged that the voters's list was manipulated by JD working president Sharad Yadav. The dispute was finally taken to court and the Supreme Court eventually ruled that the presidential poll must be conducted by July 3.

However, Laloo Yadav stands by his allegations and is against the poll. Even Union Human Resources Development Minister S R Bommai's efforts have failed to thrash out a compromise between the warring factions.

The battlelines between Sharad Yadav and Laloo Yadav are clearly drawn, and it is a foregone conclusion that the Bihar chief minister will boycott the poll if it is held without his consent. Such a move will pull out all stops in the way of a vertical split, said party sources.

The two JD general secretaries also took a dig at Bommai. ''Those who made little contribution to the party are now trying to take up heavy responsibilities.'' The remark was also directed against party leaders like Surendra Mohan and Madhu Dandavate who are eager to resolve the crisis.

Prakash said Laloo Yadav's camp was trying to hijack the poll in his favour. No other party leader has found fault with the poll process, he added.

Meanwhile, Laloo Yadav has refused to accept Ramai Ram, the JD leadership's nominee, as his successor in Patna. The Bihar chief minister feels he will lose his political base unless his nominee succeeds him. The Sharad Yadav faction, on the other hand, intends to end Laloo Yadav's political career with a telling blow.

Meanwhile, the Patna high court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to former chief minister and senior Congress leader Jagannath Mishra, MP, in case no RC-20(A)/96 dealing with the conspiracy angle of the fodder scam.

Justice Dharampal Sinha granted bail to Mishra on furnishing two sureties for Rs 50,000 each. At this stage, it is unnecessary to go deeper into the merits of the case as it might prejudice the interest of the parties, he ruled.

Sinha observed that there was no concrete evidence regarding Mishra's direct involvement in the fake withdrawals. EARLIER STORY:
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