PATNA: Prominent Muslim leader, Reyazul Haque Raju, joined the JD(U) party in the presence of top leaders, including State president Umesh Kushwaha.
Raju took membership of the JD (U) in the presence of state JD (U) president Umesh Kushwaha, ministers Shravan Kumar and Amarendra Kumar Pandey, and JD (U) MLC Khalid Anwar.
Raju, a former MLA, comes from Gopalganj, the home district of RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad. The joining of Raju in JD (U) is seen as the party’s game plan to expand its support base among Muslims at a time when it is believed that a section of minority voters is impressed by Nitish's initiatives for their welfare and development during his 20 years of rule.
Raju started his political career in 1988 by joining the Youth Congress.
In 1990, he joined RJD and remained associated with it for about 35 years before rebelling against the party after he was denied a ticket in the last assembly election from Barauli in Gopalganj district.
He unsuccessfully contested the election on the BSP ticket. He also played an important role in the RJD’s organisation and also served as the district president for about 17 years.
In February 2005, he was elected MLA for the first time from the Gopalganj assembly constituency. He is considered to have a strong command over Muslim voters in the Saran belt and so with his joining, JD (U) is expected to gain electorally in Gopalganj and the surrounding areas.
After joining JD (U), Raju alleged, “The RJD has now become a party of capitalists. Nothing happens there without bribes. I couldn't remain in such a party.”
JD (U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad claimed that it was just a beginning as many leaders from RJD and other parties would join his party during the ongoing Assembly's Budget itself.
He alleged that Muslim leaders from RJD were particularly annoyed with the party as the influence of corporate culture and money power was growing in the party.
He claimed that several prominent leaders of RJD would desert the party as they were unhappy with party’s top leadership.