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Two senior RJD leaders join JD (U)

Patna: In a jolt to the RJD, its national general secretary and sitting MP from Barh Vijay Krishna and former RJD MP from Jehanabad Ganesh Prasad Singh on Friday left the party in protest against the ‘autocratic’ style of functioning of party chief Lalu Prasad and joined the JD(U) in the presence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Joining the party and accepting the leadership of Mr. Kumar whom Vijay Krishna had defeated in 2004 Lok Sabha elections from Barh, the latter charged Mr. Prasad with ‘surrounding himself with sycophants and courtiers’ and added that he felt humiliated at the way he and other workers were sidelined.

Considered a close confidante of Mr. Prasad, Krishna’s exit from the party, is being considered as a big blow to the RJD as he (Krishna) commands a clout in Central Bihar and he has vowed to organise a number of rallies to bring the RJD supporters to JD(U)-fold.

Lamenting his decision to part ways with Mr. Kumar in April 1994, Mr. Krishna said he had long stood by Mr. Prasad on his principles of social justice and secularism but in recent times “I have not only felt humiliated but my self-respect has also been hurt”.

Welcoming Mr. Krishna and Mr. Singh, the Chief Minister said, “Now that my old friend Vijay Krishna has joined me, he will certainly take some load off me”. -- PTI

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