Tej Pratap blames Bihar RJD chief for party's defeat in Kusheshwar Asthan bypoll

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav has blamed the party's state unit chief Jagada Nand Singh and MLC Sunil Singh for the defeat in Kusheshwar Asthan Assembly bypolls. Tej Pratap, who has been critical of Bihar RJD chief, said that Jagada Nand Singh, Sunil Singh and Sanjay Yadav are ruining the party. 

He alleged that these party leaders want to make put a wedge between him and his younger brother, Tejashwi, who is also the leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly. 

“Jagada Nand Singh, Sunil Singh and Sanjay Yadav are responsible for the defeat. They are ruining the party. They want to make us (Tej Pratap and Tejashwi) fight. I request them to leave the party,” ANI quoted him Tej Pratap Yadav as saying.

Aman Bhushan Hajari of Janata Dal (United) won the Kusheshwar Asthan assembly constituency that went to the polls due to the death of his father, Shashi Bhushan Hajari. JD(U) has been able to retain Kusheshwar Asthan assembly constituency with over a 12,695 vote margin against rival RJD's Ganesh Bharti.

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In an apparent reference of Jagada Nand and Suni Singh, Tej Pratap recently claimed that he was stopped by “agents of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)” from meeting party supremo and his father Lalu Prasad, who had returned home after years amid much fanfare.

In August, Tej Pratap Yadav and Jagad Anand Singh were involved in a war of words after state president of students' wing Akash Yadav was replaced by Gagan Kumar. Tej Pratap has objected to the decision, saying the process of replacement was not in accordance with the party's constitution.

"Who is Tej Pratap? I am not accountable to Tej Pratap. I am accountable to Lalu Prasad, he is my president. Among 75 party members, he (Tej Pratap) is one of them. Does he have any other post in the party?" the RJD Bihar president shot back.