Union Minister and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan said RJD chief Lalu Prasad had accepted the leadership of Nitish Kumar for the "sake of power". (File photo)
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today dared Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad to take action against two senior party leaders Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Prabhunath Singh for their statements against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Mr Prasad should not take action only against Mohammad Taslimuddin for making statements against Kumar but should also take action against Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Prabhunath Singh for their controversial statements against the chief minister, Paswan said.
"If you (Prasad) have courage, then take action against your two leaders Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Prabhunath Singh who too made statements against the CM," Mr Paswan said adding the RJD chief, who proclaims himself as the champion of minorities, did a formality by issuing a showcause notice to Mr Taslimuddin.
JD(U) had taken strong exception to the statements by Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Mr Taslimuddin and demanded action against them. RJD leadership took serious note of the party's Araria Lok Sabha lawmaker Mohammad Taslimuddin's frequent statements against Bihar's alliance government and asked him to explain his position in this regard within seven days.
Mr Prasad broke his silence on the issue yesterday and said partymen should share their concerns, if any with him instead of making "unnecessary" statements.
Mr Taslimuddin had on May 21 suggested that Mr Prasad should snap ties with JD(U) and had also said that Mr Kumar should quit as he has failed to tackle law and order situation. Earlier, the lawmaker had said Mr Kumar was not a PM material and was "day dreaming of becoming the prime minister."
Mr Raghuvansh Singh, hit out at Mr Kumar after the May 20 meeting of RJD state and central parliamentary board and said "The steering is in the hands of Nitish Kumar and we (RJD) are sitting on the rear seat of the vehicle. It is upto him to take the vehicle in the right direction."
Mr Prabhunath Singh had said it was nothing short of administrative failure if a jailed RJD leader (Shahabuddin) could organise a durbar inside the jail.
Referring to tweets by Mr Prasad on Monday in which he had attacked RSS, BJP, Mr Paswan and HAM(S), Mr Paswan said the RJD chief had accepted the leadership of Mr Kumar for the "sake of power".
Mr Prasad in a series of tweets had said "I can understand the restlessness of RSS, BJP, Paswanji, and Manjhiji. Everything is fit and fine (in the Grand Secular Alliance). They (these leaders) are unnecessarily getting tensed.
"NDA people should not create any confusion among the people as they are not going to be benefitted at all from their tactics," he said adding the NDA are a "tired and defeated people."
The Union consumer affairs minister asked Mr Prasad as to how Bihar government scrapped reservation in promotion for SC and ST category, specially when RJD was an alliance partner in Bihar government.
He also asked the state government to lift foodgrains timely so that beneficiaries can avail of their quota in the first week of the month.
Bihar government has so far lifted 70 per cent of its quota of grains in the month of May, Mr Paswan added.