PATNA: The RJD claimed on Monday that its Raghopur MLA Tejashwi Prasad Yadav would serve as the LoP in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, as—with 25 MLAs—the party has a little over 10% of the strength of the 243-member House.
A party is required to have 10% of the total strength to have its member recognised as LoP. In this case. A decision to this effect was taken at RJD’s legislature party meeting convened at 1 Polo Road residence of Tejashwi to review debacle of RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in the Assembly elections.
In the meeting, RJD founder Lalu Prasad, former chief minister and MLC Rabri Devi, and Patliputra MP Misa Bharti adopted the resolution in this regard. All the newly elected MLAs and unsuccessful candidates were present at the meeting being held after three days of results of Assembly elections.
Tejashwi discussed at length the reasons for the poor performance of the party in the election and reiterated his resolve to continue its fight for justice. RJD MLA Alok Mehta later blamed the election commission for crushing defeat of the Opposition alliance in the election. “Such a dismal performance is attributed to discrepancies in the polling. We did not lose, but we made to lose election,” he said.
Another MLA Bago Singh said that state government’s decision to provide Rs 10,000 each to Jeevika Didis under Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojna influenced a large chunk of female voters who favoured NDA in the election. “The election commission should look into it,” he said.