Laloo trying to woo Dalits

By Our Special Correspondent

PATNA, DEC. 24. The former Chief Minister and RJD president, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav, has embarked on aggressive political course not only with regard to party matters but also in his battle against constituents of the BJP-led NDA, which he intends to pull down in the next four months.

Mr. Yadav launched his attack against the BJP with a visit to Bhitiharwa, the ashram set up by the `father of the nation', in Champaran on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the Former Prime Minister, Chaudhary Charan Singh. Mr. Yadav sought to identify himself with the two personalities in his renewed crusade against the NDA totally ignoring the feeble attempts made by some within his own party to raise a banner of revolt against him and his wife, the Chief Minister, Mrs. Rabri Devi.

The dissent by Mr. Ram Das Rai, who resigned as Minister of State of Higher Education, for not being elevated to the Cabinet rank and refusing to work under the new Cabinet Minister given additional charge of the department, found little support from other party functionaries.

Mr. Yadav cleverly timed the reallocation of portfolios, which had fallen vacant with the resignation of those Ministers, who are now members of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, to coincide with his political struggle, which has been necessitated by the recent developments.

Mr. Yadav's major gain from the war of words is that it has helped him reinforce his cause for the Dalits to the extent of even annoying his own castemen, such as Mr. Ram Das Rai. The Cabinet Minister (Mr. Ram Lakhan Ram Raman) under whom Mr. Bai refused to work belongs to the Scheduled Caste community.

The RJD supremo's objective is to win the support of the major section of the Dalits in the light of the Telecommunications Minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, forming his own party, the Lok Janshakti, aiming to forge a Dalit-Forward Caste axis in the State.

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Section  : Other States
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