RJD MP and spokesperson Manoj Jha, who proposed the resolution, said it did not feel right to celebrate the festival while the country was still mourning the Pulwama martyrs.
Bihar’s main Opposition party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), whose rank and file are known for “kurta-fad” Holi dos, will give the celebrations a miss this year as a mark of respect for the Pulwama martyrs.
The decision was taken at the party’s executive committee meeting in Patna on Saturday. RJD MP and spokesperson Manoj Jha, who proposed the resolution, said it did not feel right to celebrate the festival while the country was still mourning the Pulwama martyrs.
The party’s state and central committees also unanimously authorised RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav, presently hospitalised at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, and serving sentence in various fodder scam cases, to take the final decision regarding party’s alliance and candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
“The party’s state and central parliamentary committees have formally accorded power to our party president to take decision on alliance with like-minded parties. He will also decide on the candidates who will contest the 2019 polls in the RJD ticket,” Jha said. Senior leaders of the party including RJD vice-president and former CM Rabri Devi, leader of the Opposition in Bihar legislative assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, MP Misa Bharti, former minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui, state president Ram Chandra Purbe and MPs and MLAs were present on the occasion. However, Lalu and Rabri’s elder son and RJD MLA, Tej Pratap Yadav, was conspicuous in his absence at the meet.
“All is well in a grand alliance and our preparedness for the polls will soon be visible to everyone,” Jha said.
The ruling alliance, however, took a dig at the RJD saying Lalu’s authorisation is only a formality as no one else ever had a say in the party. While the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has already reached a seat sharing agreement for the polls in Bihar, the Mahagathbandhan is yet to finalise one.
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