Now Taslim berates Lalu, deserts RJD

Dipak Mishra, TNN 29 August 2009, 05:00am IST

PATNA: In a major blow to RJD chief Lalu Prasad's bid to rejuvenate the party after its debacle in the last Lok Sabha polls, former Union
minister and RJD vice-president Mohd Taslimuddin on Friday quit the party, spitting venom against Lalu.

He charged Lalu with "fooling Muslims" and using "the party as personal property". "You do not respect leaders and party workers," Taslimuddin said in an open letter to Lalu.

Talking to TOI, Taslimuddin described the RJD as a party of "Saheb, bibi aur ghulam". He said he has offers from Congress, JD(U) and Trinamool Congress. "

Taslimuddin's followers, however, hinted that `Chacha Taslim', as he is known among his supporters, may join the JD(U).

Calling Lalu a `dagabaaj' or betrayer, Taslimuddin said Lalu has betrayed everybody and all sections of Hindus and Muslims. He even betrayed the Yadavas. "RJD is finished. How long can one stay beside a dead wife's body at his in-laws' house?" he said and added he saw no future for Lalu and his party in politics.

In his letter, Taslimuddin accused Lalu of making RJD a family affair. "All the decisions of the party are taken by you. Though the party's vice-president, I was never consulted before a decision was taken," he said.

The former Union minister also charged Lalu with scaring Muslims into voting for the RJD. "But you never bothered to protect the interests of the Muslims," he alleged, recalling his plea to send a party delegation to Gujarat after communal violence there was ignored.

He also accused Lalu of `honouring' one of the main accused of Bhagalpur riots, Kameshwar Yadav. "You have not learnt any lesson from the RJD's defeat in the Lok Sabha polls," Taslimuddin said.

Taslimuddin has been in Bihar politics for the last four decades and has had his share of controversies. He once enjoyed considerable influence over Muslims in Purnia division. However, he miserably lost the last Lok Sabha poll to the Congress nominee. He in fact finished third behind the JD(U) candidate in Kishanganj, which was said to be his stronghold.

"It is difficult for power-hungry persons to continue in a party which is in opposition," RJD leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan said, dismissing the development as "an event which will have no political fallout".