Sushil Modi terms Lalu Yadav 'casteist'; adds 'won't affect relations with Cong top brass'

Slamming Lalu Prasad Yadav's comments against Congress Bihar in-charge Bhakt Charan Das, BJP MP Sushil Modi on Sunday, claimed that his derogatory words will not affect his relationship with the Congress top brass. Modi alleged that as Congress was fighting for survival, Yadav's casteist slur will go unnoticed by party chief Sonia Gandhi.  Congress has ended its 'Mahagathbandhan', announcing that it will contest on all 40 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections.

BJP terms Lalu 'casteist' over slur against Congress in-charge

"Lalu Prasad's use of derogatory words for Congress's Bihar in-charge and Dalit leader Bhaktacharan Das is condemnable, but it will not affect the relationship between the two parties. No matter how many abuses are given to the Congress, it will not leave the side of RJD and tolerate humiliation to save its existence. Sonia Gandhi will not even take cognizance of it. As the next election nears, Congress will again sit on Lalu Prasad's lap, wagging its tail," tweeted the ex-Deputy CM. JD(U)’s Ashok Chaudhary also slammed Lalu and his party and termed them as an anti-Dalit party. 

Lalu: 'What alliance with Congress?'

On Sunday, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav rubbished any alliance with Congress itself - burying the Mahagathbandhan. Slamming Congress' poor poll performance, he questioned if he was expected to give seats to Congress to lose. Yadav returned to Patna ahead of bypolls, amid huge fanfare - six months after getting bail in a fodder scam case.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he asked, "What alliance with Congress? Do we leave everything to Congress for losing? For losing of deposits?". When asked about Congress' Bhakt Charan Das' allegations of a secret RJD-BJP deal, he scoffed, "He is Bhakchonhar (stupid). Does he know anything?".

Mahagathbandhan breaks

Ahead of the October 30 bypolls, Congress in-charge Bhakt Charan Das announced that the party will contest all upcoming elections solo - leading to a war of words. Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar said that Congress needs to stand on its own in the states, and not rely on the regional parties. In retaliation, RJD MP Manoj Jha said, "When everyone was against Sonia Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav stood by her without caring about the repercussions. Therefore, until and unless we receive something substantial from the high command, we will not add much value to what is said."

The fight began when RJD refused to cede a single seat to ally Congress stating 'it won't be able to win any seat' - fielding Arun Kumar for Tarapur and Ganesh Bharti in Kusheshwarsthan. While Congress accused RJD of conspiring with BJP against it, the Left Front including CPI, CPI(M), and CPI(M-L) have backed RJD. For the by-polls, JDU has fielded Rajiv Kumar Singh from Tarapur and Aman Bhushan Hazari for Kusheshwarsthan. Congress has fielded Rajesh Mishra in Tarapur, while Atirek Ram has been fielded in  Kusheshwarsthan. Bypolls have been necessitated after JDU MLAs - Mewalal Chaudhary and Shashi Bhushan Hazari's death.