Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav called upon party leaders and workers in Patna on Thursday to get ready to ensure victory of the INDIA bloc in Bihar assembly elections due in October-November so that a government is formed under the leadership of Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.
“Get ready for a decisive fight against the ruling NDA government in Bihar. We have to form our government by removing the RSS and Nitish Kumar. We have to make Tejashwi the next chief minister of Bihar to ensure that poor, Dalits, backward and minorities get a share in power,” he said.
Addressing his party’s state executive meeting in Patna on Thursday, Lalu congratulated the RJD’s new state president Manganilal Mandal, who was elected unopposed. He replaced senior leader Jagdanand Singh.
He said that Manganilal Mandal is an old socialist and has made an important contribution to the fight for social justice. That is why he has been given the responsibility to lead the party ahead of the crucial assembly elections.
Expressing gratitude to the party workers, Lalu said, “I am also thankful to you for keeping me in the position of president for 28 years.”
Speaking on the occasion, Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav said the party has unanimously elected a person as the state president who has struggled for a long time with leaders like Jananayak Karpuri Thakur and Lalu Prasad to strengthen the stream of socialism, secularism and social justice.
He said he is confident that Mandal’s long experience would benefit the party.
Discussing the tenure of the previous RJD Bihar president Jagdanand Singh, Tejashwi said: “His immense contribution to strengthen the party cannot be ignored. Therefore, I request our National President, Lalu Yadav, to assign a national-level role to Jagadanand Singh.”
Tejashwi also told party leaders to stop worrying about party tickets for the assembly elections and work diligently to bring the INDIA alliance to power.
He said if the people of Bihar give him a chance to serve as chief minister, he would implement a policy ensuring 100% domicile for state’s youth, every household will get 200 units of electricity for free and women will be given Rs 2500 per month under the Maa-Behan Yojana.
The newly-elected RJD state president Manganilal Mandal said the backward classes are being cheated in the present government.