Lalu's former aide Ramkripal meets Rajnath, set to join BJP

“I have met Rajnathji today.We had a good meeting. I will comment on the rest of the issues tomorrow,” Yadav told reporters when asked what will be his strategy and whether he was being given the Pataliputra ticket from Bihar by the BJP.  

Ram Kripal Yadav resigned from all party posts of the RJD after Lalu Prasad, ignored his claim over Pataliputra ticket to field his daughter Misa Bharti from there.  

Ram Kripal Yadav has been saying he has not yet quit the RJD and had only resigned from party positions.  He has refused to give up his claim for the Pataliputra seat even after Misa Bharti approached him in a bid to placate him.

Ram Kripal's closeness to the BJP is being attributed to LJP President Ram Vilas Paswan, who is said to have played a key role in building bridges between him and the BJP.

Paswan himself junked a long standing alliance with the RJD in Bihar recently to strike a pre-poll deal with the BJP in Bihar which has 40 Lok Sabha seats.