The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has scheduled a crucial national executive meeting for January 25 in Patna. Party leaders will gather to make important decisions about the organization's leadership structure.
Key Leadership Decisions on the Agenda
RJD spokesperson Chitaranjan Gagan confirmed the meeting details to PTI. He stated that all top leaders will attend alongside party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. The leadership plans to discuss issues they consider significant for the party's future.
Lalu Prasad Yadav has led the Rashtriya Janata Dal since founding it in 1997. He created the party after breaking away from the original Janata Dal organization. Yadav previously served as Bihar's chief minister for many years.
Potential Succession Planning
Party sources indicate that Lalu Yadav's advancing age and health considerations have sparked internal discussions. Many members believe the RJD needs to establish a second line of leadership to handle daily organizational matters.
The national executive may decide to appoint a "working national president" during the Patna meeting. This position would help manage the party's regular operations while Lalu Yadav remains the overall supremo.
Contenders for Leadership Roles
Tejashwi Yadav emerges as the leading candidate for the working president position. He currently serves as Bihar's opposition leader and previously held the deputy chief minister post. Tejashwi acted as the RJD's chief ministerial candidate during last November's assembly elections.
The party's performance declined significantly in those elections. Their seat count dropped to 25 from 75 seats in the previous 2020 assembly polls. Tejashwi represents the youngest of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi's nine children.
Misa Bharti's Support Base
Another faction within the RJD reportedly supports Misa Bharti for the leadership role. She serves as the Lok Sabha MP from Pataliputra constituency and is the eldest among the nine siblings.
One party leader explained this perspective doesn't reflect distrust in Tejashwi's capabilities. Instead, some members worry about political perceptions. The BJP-led NDA opposition frequently portrays the RJD as a patriarchal organization that marginalizes women.
The leader noted that recent developments have intensified these concerns. He referenced Rohini Acharya's public outburst following the election results. Both BJP leaders and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) party seized upon her statements to criticize Lalu Yadav's treatment of his daughters.
Additional Organizational Changes
The national executive may also discuss replacing Mangani Lal Mandal as the RJD's Bihar unit president. Mandal previously belonged to the JD(U) before rejoining the RJD several years ago.
His return to the party failed to deliver expected results. The RJD hoped Mandal would help attract votes from extremely backward classes (EBC), but this strategy proved ineffective during the recent elections.
Family Dynamics and Party Politics
Rohini Acharya's recent actions have created additional complications for the party. Based in Singapore, she traveled to Bihar for election campaigning. Shortly after results were announced, Acharya dramatically left her parents' home.
She alleged that family members hurled abuses at her during a confrontation. Acharya claimed someone threw a slipper toward her during the argument. The dispute centered on her questioning the role played by two close aides of Tejashwi Yadav in the party's poor electoral performance.
One of these aides includes Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Yadav. Acharya blamed them for contributing to the RJD's disappointing election results through their actions and decisions.
The January 25 meeting in Patna will address these multiple challenges facing the party. Leaders must balance family dynamics with political strategy while planning the RJD's future direction.
