Shivanand Tiwari resigns from RJD

Patna, Nov 13: RJD leader and former Bihar Minister Shivanand Tiwari, considered a close aide of party supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, today resigned from the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

After a long-drawn battle following differences with Mr Prasad which precipitated after the RJD's debacle in the last assembly elections, Mr Tiwari resigned.

The senior leader had resigned from the RJD national spokespersons post about two weeks ago.

In his resignation letter sent to Mr Prasad, Mr Tiwari said the 'autocratic' behaviour and over-ambition of Mr Prasad, who ''indulged in nepotism'', led to the partys defeat.

''A committed leader like me feels suffocated as I am not allowed to speak the truth and frustrated with such a situation I am left with no option but to resign,'' he said in the letter.

In his letter, Mr Tiwari said instead of responding to the letters raising several 'burning' questions, Mr Prasad indirectly abused him. He claimed he had enough courage to spell out the truth and never compromise. ''In the prevailing situation, it will be better to quit the party,'' he maintained.

Mr Tiwari said the Railway Minister had become ''a laughing stock'' by expressing his wish to become the Prime Minister of India.

''Mr Prasad has lost credibility among the masses and the defeat of the party in the elections is self explanatory. He is surrounded by psychophants and there is a vast gap between the RJD supremo and the grassroot workers,'' he said.

He appealed to Mr Prasad to 'spare' the nation and forego his wish of becoming the PM as 15 years of his rule in Bihar ''had taken its toll''.

UNI