News Politics National Drama in Patna: Lalu manages to stem revolt, 6 out of 13 rebel MLAs return

Drama in Patna: Lalu manages to stem revolt, 6 out of 13 rebel MLAs return

Patna: High drama unfolded in the RJD today with 13 of the 22 party MLAs in Bihar announcing they have quit the party in a jolt to Lalu Prasad but six of them later claimed

Besides Gafoor, the other MLAs who came to RJD office to deny a split were Lalit Yadav, Faiyyaz Ahmad, Durga Prasad Singh, Chandrasekhar and Akhtar-ul Islam Sahin. Yadav also denied giving his signature for purpose of leaving the party.

Siddiqui told reporters that a meeting of the RJD Legislature party has been called tomorrow at the residence of former chief minister Rabri Devi at 12 noon where some more MLAs would make their position clear.

He alleged that a fraud had been committed on his party at the behest of the chief minister. JD(U) cultural advisor Pavan Verma, however, said the RJD development is an internal development of the party.

Lalu Prasad, who is RJD President, downplayed reports of a split in his party, saying he was inquiring into the matter.

"I have heard about it. I an finding out what is happening," he told reporters in Delhi when asked for his reaction to the split in the party.

RJD sources said Prasad was trying to contact each of the 13 MLAs to prevent a split or at least contain the damage.

RJD rebel Samrat Chaudhary, who flew with the chief minister in a helicopter to Khagaria yesterday to inaugurate a road bridge said, "In the last three months Lalu Prasad has reduced RJD as B team of Congress.

"The party which sent him to jail by tearing up an Ordinance has become the ideal of Prasad who is losing no opportunity to pester its leaders."