Patna, Aug 22 (IANS) The presence of two RJD MLAs on the stage during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Bodh Gaya has sparked the ‘defection’ buzz in the state politics on Friday.
PATNA: A political storm erupted on Friday after two Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislators — Vibha Devi from Nawada and Prakash Veer from Rajauli — were spotted on PM Narendra Modi’s stage during his public meeting in Gaya. Their presence sparked unease within the RJD at a time when party leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi are leading the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ across Bihar while the PM has sharpened his criticism of the party founded by Lalu Prasad over its “appeasement politics.” Vibha Devi, the wife of former RJD MLA Raj Ballav Yadav — who was recently acquitted by the Patna high court in a rape case after earlier being sentenced to life by a Nawada court — is seen as a marginalised figure in the party.
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Similarly, Rajauli MLA Prakash Veer is believed unlikely to secure renomination for the coming assembly elections. During his yatra in Nawada, Tejashwi dropped a pointed hint when a supporter asked him to deny Prakash a ticket; Tejashwi waved his hand in a gesture widely interpreted as “kat gaya”. The unexpected sight of the two legislators seated beside the PM prompted speculation of discontent within RJD ranks. Party insiders admitted that their appearance on the dais had “embarrassed” the leadership and signalled “growing cracks” ahead of the assembly polls. Both MLAs had earlier rebelled against the RJD’s Lok Sabha candidate from Nawada, Shravan Kushwaha, and instead supported Vinay Yadav, brother of Raj Ballav Yadav, which aided the victory of BJP’s Vivek Thakur. The disquiet deepened when former JD(U) MLA from Nawada, Kaushal Yadav, and his wife Purnima Yadav joined the RJD in Tejashwi’s presence. According to insiders, Vibha felt further sidelined by this move and now suspects she will be denied a ticket in the next election. Both Vibha and Prakash are believed to be weighing a switch to the JD(U). Nawada BJP MP Vivek Thakur, however, dismissed the controversy, saying that there was “nothing unusual” as all MLAs and MPs from the Magadh zone had been invited to the PM’s programme. Prakash Veer echoed this, saying simply that he had been invited. The RJD leadership struck back. Party spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari declared that both legislators had already been expelled for anti-party activities. “They will not get anything in the NDA either and will come back to the RJD fold again,” he said, adding that “many NDA MLAs are in touch with RJD to switch sides before elections.”
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