RJD to consider its support in case dissident forms govt-Lalu

Patna, Sep 2 (UNI) RJD Supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today claimed that the internal bickering in the ruling alliance might split the JD(U) in Bihar and his party would consider to support if the dissident was in a position to form a government in the state.

Mr Prasad told reporters here that there was no need to engineer split within the JD(U) as it was itself sitting on the powder keg and the situation was beyond the control of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Mr Prasad, however, said Mr Kumar would be dislodged through peoples verdict.

Replying to a query, he said in case the dissident group of the JD(U), headed by Upendra Kushwaha, elected a new leader and sought support to form the government, the RJD would strongly consider to support him.

There is a 'Jungle Raj' in Bihar where government was 'non-functional', the former chief minister said. The officers and bureaucrats were acting willfully and women, minorities and the oppressed section were being exploited in the regime of Nitish Kumar, whose arrogance was taking the state to its nadir, he added.

Mr Prasad alleged that Nitish Kumar was delaying allotment of land for implementation of projects of railways.

He said the recent barbaric act of police in Bhagalpur was condemned even by Parliament and on the pressures of the BJP, the state government constituted a commission to probe the matter.

Earlier, Mr Prasad announced 75 member national executive of his party and informed that Union Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, MP Raghunath Jha, former minister Ramai Ram and Shankar Prasad Tekriwal were made vice presidents of the party while Union Minister Prem Gupta had been entrusted with the responsibility of Treasurer.

Later, Mr Prasad flagged off Rajendranagar-Indore Express and Kamla-Ganga fast passenger trains from Patna junction and also inaugurated the air-conditioned second class retiring rooms at Patna railway station.

UNI