Zee Media Bureau/Manisha Singh
New Delhi: Former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Ram Kripal Yadav may join the BJP and contest from Patliputra seat in Bihar in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, according to reports on Monday.
Ram Kripal had resigned from all party posts on March 08 after he was denied a Lok Sabha ticket from the Patliputra constituency. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav`s daughter Misa Bharti has been nominated as the party`s candidate from Patliputra.
Reacting on Ram Kripal`s move, Lalu had said that there would be no rethink on Misa. An upset Ram Kripal had then told the media, “I have worked for this party, have shed blood and sweat for the RJD. I now feel that yesterday when Misa ji came to meet me it was just `emotional atyachaar` for a simple man like me.”
Misa had rushed to Delhi on March 07 to meet the party general secretary after it was reported that he was miffed with the party leadership.
The RJD is in alliance with the Congress and the NCP in Bihar for the upcoming General Elections. Congress will fight on 12 Lok Sabha seats, Sharad Pawar`s NCP one and the RJD will contest on 27 seats.
Bihar has 40 Parliamentary seats. The Congress had fought the 2004 General Elections in alliance with the RJD and Ram Vilas Paswan`s LJP and had won 29 of the 40 Parliamentary seats. This time the LJP has gone back to the NDA fold. The talks between the LJP, RJD and the Congress failed as Ram Vilas wanted more seats then it was being offered to it in Bihar. The BJP has given seven seats to the LJP
In 2009 the Congress had fought alone as its alliance for Lok Sabha polls broke with RJD and LJP. The results were disastrous for all three parties with RJD winning only four seats, Congress two and LJP even failing to open its account.
The General Elections are to be held in April and May, with the counting of votes to be done on May 16.