Lalu Prasad Yadav blamed for election defeat

Patna, June 13 (ANI): After faring poorly in the Lok Sabha elections, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad faced another blow when his close confidant Shyam Razak on Saturday quit the party, saying the RJD will be "finished soon."

Criticizing Prasad for RJD's humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, where the party could win only four seats this time against 22 it got in 2004, Razak said the party had become former Bihar chief minister's "fiefdom".

"The existence of both RJD and Lalu Prasad is at stake," he said alleging that, once a champion of social justice and secularism, the party had become Prasad's "fiefdom".

Razak, who was RJD's national general secretary, wrote to Lalu Prasad saying he was resigning from the party and apprised him of quitting the state Assembly as well.

He sent his resignation letter to Speaker Udai Narain Choudhary, and the speaker's office said the resignation of RJD's core committee member has been accepted.

According to the sources, Razak is likely to join the ruling JD (U) soon.

Razak, a three-time MLA, remained a minister for nearly nine years in the Lalu-Rabri government.

He was sulking ever since he lost to JD(U) in the last Lok Sabha polls in Jamui (SC) seat and blamed RJD workers for "not working whole-heartedly" for his success.

JD(U) is likely to nominate him for the by-poll to seat, which has now fallen vacant. (ANI)