Pappu Yadav Declares War On Laloo

Samajwadi Party MP Pappu Yadav, Janata Dal president Laloo Prasads erstwhile protege, has declared an open war on the Bihar Chief Minister.

Yadav organised a rail roko agitation just before Laloo Yadavs rally in Patna. The stir affected the rally as it hampered the movement of Laloo supporters to Patna way. Pappu also referred to the Chief Minister as an unreliable person.

Given the fact that Rajesh Ranjan, better known as Pappu Yadav, was launched in politics by Laloo as his right hand man, the Bihar Chief Ministers fury is understandable. Pappu Yadav is now a right hand man of Samajwadi Party president and defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has appointed Ranjan SPs Bihar unit chief.

Laloo flew into Delhi last Friday with the specific purpose of complaining to Prime Minsiter Deve Gowda on Pappu Yadavs activities. Samajwadi Party is not alone in agitating against Laloo in Bihar. Both CPI and CPI(M), who are part of the United Front, are leading movements against the Chief Minister in the state.

Laloo Prasad is said to have complained against Pappu Yadav even to Mulayam Singh. However, this has had no effect as Yadav justified his rail roko agitation as a fight for the cause of the poor and the farmers.

The Prime Minister, who belongs to the Janata Dal, will have to do a delicate balancing act between Mulayam the United Fronts main pillar in UP and Laloo Prasad, who is the UFs main force in Bihar.

Interestingly, as Pappu Yadav has picked up cudgels against the Chief Minister in Bihar, the Janata Dal has also been virtually agitating against the Samajwadi Party. The Dal was opposed to the continuance of UP Governor Romesh Bhandari, who is known to be very close to Mulayam Singh Yadav.

While Mulayam is not bothered about losing power, Laloo has much to worry, especially with the CBI noose on the animal husbandry scam tightening. Opposition from a fellow Yadav leader is the last thing he needs now.

It was in this background that the Chief Minister flew into Delhi to have the Prime Ministers ear on his problems. The Janata Dal leaders in Delhi are aware of the problem and seem worried. The issue will have to be sorted out by the Prime Minsiter before it develops into a crisis, a Dal leader said.