New Delhi: Sulking after the inclusion of
his bete noire Prabhunath Singh in the party, RJD MP
Umashankar Singh on Saturday accused party chief Lalu Prasad of
functioning like a "monarch".
Umashankar, who is an MP from Maharajganj Lok Sabha
constituency, had resigned from the party`s parliamentary
board yesterday a day after it was constituted in which
Prabhunath Singh was given a "key" role in candidate
selection.
"Lalu ji behaves like a monarch. Real workers should get
respect. Those who are serving the party for long should be
given tickets but what is happening now is contrary to it.
Moneybags are being preferred to loyal party workers,"
Umashankar told agency.
The RJD MP, however, denied that he will quit the party.
"I do not want to leave the party. I have no such
intention nor it will be appropriate. It is democracy and I
can oppose the wrong policies of a party while being in it,"
he said.
In a letter written to the RJD chief, he had said the
workers, which have built the party should not be ignored.
Umashankar was annoyed since JD(U)rebel leader Prabhunath
Singh joined RJD recently after falling out with Bihar Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar.
In the last Lok Sabha election, Umashankar had defeated
the JDU leader.
The RJD MP said what is the relevance of the newly
constituted parliamentary board in which people like
Prabhunath Singh have been made a permanent member and given
a key role.
The board has been constituted for selecting candidates.
The development has taken place at a time when the RJD
chief is making serious bid to woo upper castes, who are
perceived to be annoyed from Nitish Kumar.
In yet another development, Mohan Singh, a general
secretary of Ram Vilas Paswan led LJP`s Youth Wing today
announced his resignation from the party levelling allegations
of money demand from him in lieu of party ticket.
He said committed party workers are being ignored and
ticket is being given to those who offer money.
Youth LJP President Sanjay Saraf, however, dismissed
the allegations.
"These are absurd and baseless allegations. It`s election
time and such allegations are levelled by people, who aspire
for ticket and are not given," Saraf said.
PTI
