PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was on Wednesday visited at a Ranchi jail by former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren of JMM and the duo discussed strategy to bring all Opposition parties on a single platform to counter the BJP-led NDA.
Soren, who is Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly, is the second former chief minister of the state to meet the RJD chief at Birsa Munda Central Jail where he is lodged since December 23 last following his conviction in two fodder scam cases. Former CM and president of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) Babulal Marandi had met Yadav at the jail on February 5. Marandi was accompanied by rebel JD(U) veteran Sharad Yadav.
“This meeting is an effort to plan all like-minded Opposition parties together in the state and across the country. We will drive the corrupt BJP-led governments out in the states and at the Centre,” said the RJD chief to reporters during his appearance in court later in the day.
Sources said the meeting between Soren and Lalu, which lasted for about half an hour, discussed plans for the two parties forming an alliance for the upcoming civic polls in Jharkhand. Polls for all the 34 urban local bodies in the state are likely to be held in March or April.
“We have already finalised a strategy to show BJP the door out of power. We will announce our plans in due course of time. If elections for the Jharkhand Assembly are held today, BJP would be routed,” said Soren, who is the son of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief and former CM Sibu Soren.
Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has so far been convicted in three cases of the Rs 950-crore fodder scam of the mid-1990s in united Bihar, blamed the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for the scam that changed the course of Bihar’s politics.
“CAG is directly responsible for all these cases. If CAG had warned about financial wrongdoing in time, this scam would not have taken place… I am sure that I will get justice from the high court and the Supreme Court,” said Yadav.