Patna, June 14: Bihar minister Dadan Pahalwan today claimed that he enjoyed the blessings of RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and would not rest till his senior colleague and party national spokesman, Shivanand Tiwari, with whom he has been having a spat, was expelled.

"I have the blessings of Lalooji and I will not stop my campaign till Tiwari is shown the door," Pahalwan, minister of state for commercial taxes, told a news agency. Despite the RJD chief urging him to desist from making accusations against a ministerial colleague, Pahalwan alleged that Tiwari, the excise minister, was not loyal to Yadav and the party and had links with the banned Ranvir Sena.

Out of 115 RJD legislators none is with Tiwari, who always sits next to the RJD boss to project himself as number two in the Rabri ministry, he said, and expressed unflinching faith in the leadership of Yadav and the chief minister. How long will we allow a burden for the party, he asked.

Slogan shouting supporters of Pahalwan sat on a dharna at Gandhi Maidan here demanding immediate expulsion of Tiwari from RJD.

Contacted, Tiwari refused to comment on the fresh attack by Pahalwan. I have already communicated my position to Lalooji and it is now up to him to tackle the matter. Lalooji has assured me to take care of my grievances and I will continue to be in the party, Tiwari, who switched over to the RJD from the Samata Party in 1988, said.

Yesterday sources close to Yadav had said that action could not be taken against Pahalwan as he was an independent supporting the Rabri Devi ministry.

Bureau Report