Pappu Yadav slams Lalu's pejorative against AICC Bihar in-charge, dubs RJD 'BJP's B-team'

Taking umbrage at Lalu Prasad Yadav's derogatory remarks against Congress' Bihar in-charge Bhakt Charan Das, Jan Adhikar Party (Loktantrik) chief Pappu Yadav claimed that RJD is BJP's B-team. When asked about Das' allegations of a secret RJD-BJP deal, the RJD supremo opined, "Bhakt Charan is a bhakchonhar (stupid person)". Taking to Twitter, Pappu Yadav asserted that the RJD supremo's comment indicated the "anti-Dalit mindset" of Bihar's main opposition party. Moreover, he alleged that RJD was toeing BJP's line owing to pressure from central investigative agencies such as ED, CBI and I-T.

Incidentally, he was a member of RJD until his expulsion from the party in 2015 for indulging in anti-party activities. On October 22, the JAP (L) chief announced his support for the Congress party in the two by-elections in Bihar stressing the need to get rid of both the "incompetent" ruling party and opposition. Speaking to reporters in Delhi before leaving for Bihar on October 24, Lalu Yadav asked, "What alliance with Congress? Do we leave everything to Congress for losing? For losing of deposits"?

The rift between Congress and RJD

The differences between RJD and Congress came to the fore after ex-JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar switched allegiance to the Sonia Gandhi-led party. RJD has been at odds with Kanhaiya Kumar over his decision to contest from Begusarai in the 2019 General election despite the former fielding a strong candidate in Tanveer Hassan. Ultimately, Union Minister Giriraj Singh was re-elected from the constituency whereas Hassan and Kumar stood second and third respectively. 

The Assembly seats of Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur will go to the polls on October 30 whereas the counting of votes will take place on November 2. After RJD refused to let Congress contest from Kusheshwar Asthan, the latter fielded its candidates on both seats going to the polls. Addressing a media briefing on October 18, Bhakt Charan Das hinted that RJD had struck a deal with BJP. 

Predicting that the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led party will join hands with the saffron party after the Bihar bypolls, Das added, "The Left, RJD and Congress were united on the secular ideology. Now you have moved away from this ideology. Whom have you struck a deal with? If you don't need our 19 MLAs, whose support have you secured? You required the support of our 19 MLAs to form a government". In a big announcement on October 22, Das made it clear that Congress will go solo in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.