Beleaguered Laloo Tries To Assert Authority

The beleaguered Laloo Prasad Yadav yesterday dragged in the issue of the Janata Dals choice for the next President of India to assert his authority in the ongoing tussle within the party. A section of the party tried in vain to during the day to bring about a consensus on S R Bommai.

He said vice-president K Narayanan was the partys choice, even though the matter is yet to be discussed in the party.

I am the Janata Dal president. I can say that Narayanan will be our choice for the next President, Yadav remarked. Leaders in the Sharad Yadav group expressed surprise at Yadavs announcement when the issue was not discussed at any level in the party. The announcement being made, it would be difficult for the party to opt for any other candidate.

A senior party leader admitted that the efforts to bring about a consensus on Bommai was not bearing fruit given the tough postures adopted by the two Yadavs. Indeed, he claimed that an effort was on to get the party election embroiled in the courts, so that matters can get delayed for quite sime time and a decision also put off.

Yadav decried the practice of his colleagues to rush to the court on party matters, and said such issues should be settled within the party. He denied any knowledge whatsoever on the irregularities in the finalising the electoral college for the election for the next party president. He remarked that he had no knowledge since such issues were being dealt with by the working president (Sharad Yadav).

I was away in Patna most of the time, he remarked.

The Delhi High Court meanwhile modified its earlier order, and allowed the holding of the partys national executive with the proviso that no decision would be taken on the postponement of the presidential election beyond June 18, the date set by the court.

In a related development, the returning officers, P K Samantray and B K Prasad filed an appeal against the court order whereby only Samantray was allowed to assist the retired Rajasthan High Court judge, Justice M C Kochar, who was appointed to conduct and supervise the poll.