Laloo's minor son is new `crown prince'

Laloo's minor son is new `crown prince'
ARUN SRIVASTAVA

PATNA, MARCH 2: Tej Pratap is the new yuva samrat (crown prince) of Bihar. Hoardings exhorting party cadres and people alike to participate at the Desh Bachao rally on March 4 project the school-going son of Laloo Prasad Yadav as the new leader of Bihar's toiling people and of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

This is in marked difference from the time when Laloo's brothers-in-law, Sadhu and Subhash Yadav would be projected as the ``crown princes'' of the state, with both of them competing against each other for the coveted position.

In fact, political circles are abuzz with talk of how Sadhu has kept away from organising or being part of Sunday's rally. Earlier, Sadhu would use his clout to organise vehicles and ensure that the audience was massive. Sources close to Sadhu said he was yet to reconcile with the rude shock that Laloo gave him in the wake of his involvement in the alleged assault on Transport Commissioner N.K. Sinha. Sadhu and his friends feel that Laloo failed to do them justice.

On March 4, when Laloo addresses the Desh Bachao rally, Sadhu will be in the studio of a TV channel. Even Sadhu's friends and musclemen are keeping away from the run-up to the rally.

But Tej Pratap's elevation within party circles first happned way back in 1997 at Patna rally in Patna where RJD MP Nagmani hailed him as the future leader, the yuva samrat. He had said Tej Pratap would be RJD's leader in 20 years' time, till when Laloo would continue to hold fort.

Ironically, the same Nagmani has now turned to hurling vitriolic words at Laloo. Yesterday, he charged Laloo with thrusting dynastic rule on the people of Bihar.

Behind the scenes, sources reveal Sadhu is very much in tune with the dissidents' demand for Laloo's removal from power. And Sadhu's decision to stay away from the rally is part of the dissidents' gameplan.

Sadhu, after a formal interview with the TV channel, may start his tirade against Laloo. For now, he is keeping himself in check and waiting for the right moment to speak out.

Though Laloo sees his son's projection as an Opposition-backed move to give him a bad name, party sources reveal the RJD chief is not entirely against it. He is engaged in a psychological war with his detractors and feels that Sadhu will probably not want to speak against his nephew.

Meanwhile, Laloo's supporters today launched a counter-offensive against his detractors. Senior minister Shakuni Choudhary alleged that MNCs had conspired to remove Laloo from power and that dissidents in the party were acting at their behest.