By TCN Staff Reporter,
Patna: In a big jolt to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), senior leader and former minister of Bihar, Shakeel Ahmad Khan on Friday said goodbye to the party where he was since its inception. He alleged that there is utter indiscipline in the party and party supremo Lalu Prasad is surrounded by people who are involved in anti-party activities.
Mr. Khan, who was minister in the RJD regime in Bihar, alleged that a group of senior party leaders played vital role to get him defeated in the 2010 Assembly poll from Sherghati in Gaya district.
“I had written to state RJD president Ramchandra Purbey in February this year with the details of my allegations and sought action against those who conspired for my defeat. But I did not receive any reply from the party in this regard,” Khan told at press conference while announcing his resignation from RJD and all the posts he held in the party.
Khan, a lawyer by profession, started his political career as CPI cadre. Then he joined Janata Dal in 1993 and when RJD was formed under the leadership of Lalu Prasad in 1997 he was one of those who showed loyalty o Prasad who was a leading force in Janata Dal.
He appeared in Patna High Court to defend RJD chief Lalu Parasad in infamous fodder scam. He was made minister of law and also minority affairs in Rabri Devi government. In 2005, when RJD lost power he was given responsibility of deputy leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly.
Mr. Khan, who was chief spokesperson of RJD, charged that RJD is the only party where loyalists are sidelined while traitors are rewarded. “The party, which cannot distinguish between the loyal and disloyal, will not have bright future. This was the reason for the humiliating defeat of the party in last elections but party leadership learnt no lessons from it” he added.
“I have talked to Laluji recently and reminded him that no action has been taken against those who were involved in ant-party activities while all other parties have taken actions against those who indulged in anti-party activities during the election. But no satisfactory message received from him” khan said.
He said it became very difficult for him to work in such circumstances, therefore decided to quit the party.
He, however, did not reveal which party he is going to join and said he will decide about next move later. But the speculation is going on that he will join ruling JD-U soon.
The resignation of Mr. Khan from RJD came on the heel of RJD leader and former MLC Ram Bachan Rai joining JD-U a few days earlier.
On the other hand RJD claimed that Mr. Khan was expelled from the party as he was caught allegedly in anti-party activities.