The Janata Dal appears headed for a serious crisis as its current president and Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad, in a defiant stance yesterday, announced that the national conference and party presidents election would be held at his home town Patna on June 10.
The partys returning officer, Samant Ray, termed Prasads announcement as a suggestion and later hinted to some state unit presidents that he would annouce the venue today. Laloo Prasad chellenged this. How can he declare it? I am the president of the party and the constituion gives me power to decide the venue.
He also levelled allegations of irregularities in organisational elections without naming working president Sharad Yadav, who was instrumental in completion of these elections.
Prasad, who is in the race for presidentship along with working president Sharad Yadav, dug out sections and sub-sections from the party constitution to assert that all powers vested in him, even in respect of holding elections in which he himself was a candidate.
I will not tolerate if anyone tries to undermine rules and regulations of the party constitution, Laoo told journalists.
While Sharad Yadav insisted that office bearers should not interfere in the election process in which they themselves were candidates, Laloo said since the party executive had not taken any decisions relating to elections, all powers were vested in him.
Sharad Yadav refused to interpret the constitution and rules at a time when he was fighting the election. This, he said, was for the returning officer to do. Laloo Prasad, on the contrary, challenged the returning officers powers to interpret rules and said he was vested with all powers, especially when irregularities were obvious in the organisational elections.
It was apparant from the mood of Laloo Prasad that it would be difficult for him to retrace his steps if the returning officers announcement today goes agaist his. While Sharad Yadav repeated yesterday that he would withdraw if there was a consensus on any other name, Prasad insisted he would remain in the fray come what may.
It is an hour of crisis for me. The party should be backing me in this hour. What message is Sharad giving to the nation? Is it that the Janata Dal has rejected me?, Prasad said.
Sharad Yadav, who is Prasads main opponent in the race for party presidentship, appeared shattered as party circles talked of disastrous consequences iff Laloo Prasad stood his stance and refused to recognise the authority of the returning officer in matters of elections.
I am not the authority to go into all this. It is the job of the election incharge, Sharad Yadav said.
This however had no effect on Sharad Yadavs electoral prospects, who is seen as having a clear edge over Prasad in the electoral college - the natioanl council.
In a bid to change the composition of the council to his advantage, Prasad yesterday nominated 53 members to the council of 1,012 and asked the returning officer to delete over 40 members from West Bengal, in accordance with a court order, and some more from Laskshadweep on some other grounds.
The Dal group owing allegience to former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda met at his residence to vouch support for Sharad Yadav. The group suggested to the returning officer, Samant Ray, that Delhi should be the venue of the national conference and that polls should not be held under pressure. The meeting was attended by railway minister Ramvilas Paswan, parliamentary affairs minister Shrikant Jena, former food minister DP Yadav, Bihar JD leaders Ramai Ram and Dinesh Yadav. Prime Minister I K Gujral, and former Prime Minsiter and Dal supremo V P Singh remained aloof from the battle between the two Yadavs. Singh is currently abroad for treatment.
