Sharad Yadav Emerges Strong Contender For Janata Dal

Working president Sharad Yadav and incumbent Laloo Prasad were strong contenders for the Janata Dal presidentship yesterday, when just 48 hours were left for the nominations to close.

Laloo Prasad yesterday emphasised that he was already the party president and that organisational elections were being held at the direction of the Election Commission.

I am trying that the political affairs committee (PAC) meets here tomorrow. Whether they (PAC members) want to remove me or keep me would be decided tomorrow, Prasad told journalists in his Bihar Bhawan suite. He said the PAC would work on a consensus.

Those close to Sharad Yadav said consensus was possible only on Sharad Yadav and not on Laloo Prasad. If there was no consensus, Yadavs supporters said, there would be contest, suggesting that the group owing allegiance to former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda would never agree on Prasad.

Laloo Prasad appeared confident and with much of his sense of humour intact when he rose from a two-hour afternoon siesta. I will not talk to the machine (TV cameras) as it becomes difficult to deny stories, he said.

Those of Laloo Prasads camp insisted that ultimately, Sharad Yadav would have to support Prasad as he has to depend on Prasads mass support to get elected to the Lok Sabha.

Dal sources said that Prasad wanted the PAC to meet yesterday but could not succeed as several senior leaders including Sharad Yadav had other engagements.

Asked to respond on a view in the party that those facing charges should not contest for party presidentship, Laloo Prasad shot back by saying let them wait and they might also be charged, suggesting that it was not difficult to be charged by the CBI these days. He also took on the BJP for its dual stand on the CBI. The CBI is good in Patna because it charges Laloo Prasad, but it is bad in Delhi when it charges Advaniji, he said, adding that if the BJP felt the CBI was right why did its leaders go to court challenging the CBI chargesheet.

Prasad had a word or two on CBI director Joginder Singh as well. There is no norm left in this country. It has been reduced to a fight of egoes..of who is superior. With this I cant say where the country would go.

Laloo to accept Namdharis resignation

Bihar Chief Minsiter Laloo Prasad yesterday said that he would accept the resignation of his cabinet minister Inder Singh Namdhari as soon as he returned to Patna. Namdhari has resigned from the Bihar cabinet in the wake of the CBI seeking permission from the Bihar Governor to charge Laloo Prasad in the animal husbandry scam.

I had kept Namdhari in the cabinet because I wanted to give respect to a Sikh. Otherwise, what is he?, Prasad said. Namdhari had switched to Janata Dal from the BJP.

Prasad said that his social justice cart was full with people and some of them were bound to fall down to make room for others. In the next elections, he said, he would give tickets to better people.