BJP's journey from 2 to 303 seats to reverse in 2024: RJD

The assertion was made by the RJD after a meeting of its national executive

The RJD on Sunday said the Opposition has started to come together in several parts of the country following Bihar's example and the BJP's journey from two to 303 seats will start reversing from 2024.

A collective alternative would trump the "self-centred" politics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Rashtriya Janata Dal said after a meeting of its national executive here.

RJD's Bihar unit chief Jagdanand Singh, who is said to be upset with the party ever since his son Sudhakar Singh was made to quit as minister in the Nitish Kumar government, skipped the meeting.

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Sudhakar Singh, however, attended the meeting that was addressed by party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, and Sharad Yadav.

The meeting saw high drama with an upset Tej Pratap Yadav, a minister in the Bihar government and Lalu Prasad's elder son, leaving in a huff and accusing party leader Shyam Rajak of abusing him and mistreating his staff.

Talking to reporters about the incident, Rajak quoted a couplet which loosely translates to "the rich and influential are never at fault". Later, he collapsed and was admitted to a hospital here due to blood pressure issues.

Asked about Jagdanand Singh's absence at the national executive, senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha downplayed it and said the Bihar unit chief has close ties with the party's top leadership.

"He (Jagdanand Singh) may not have come due to certain reasons. I can give it to you in writing that he was with us, is with us, and will remain with us," Jha told reporters at a press conference after the meeting.

The national executive endorsed party founder Prasad's re-election as the national president for the 12th time. He was elected unopposed after filing his nomination papers on September 28. He will be officially given charge for a fresh term at the party's national convention on Monday.

Addressing the meeting, Lalu Prasad directed party leaders and workers that only Tejashwi Yadav would speak on important issues or policy matters.

In his remarks at the meeting, Tejashwi Yadav said the biggest challenge before the country today is to fight the agenda of the RSS.

"The RSS has mixed the poison of hatred and animosity in the society. We have to fight against the radical casteist and anti-social justice ideology of the RSS by sticking to our idea. Socialism is the alternative to capitalism and communalism," he asserted.

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"We have come to Delhi to give a message to all the opposition parties. Bihar has always worked to show a new direction to the country," Tejashwi Yadav said.

He said the RJD is fighting the big battle for the 2024 general elections and there should be no attempt to dilute the agenda.

"It is not a question of my choice and your choice but a question of choice to save the country and democracy. Together we will defeat the forces that want to divide the country," he said.

The meeting saw three resolutions being moved and discussed.

"Three important resolutions were put forward -- a political resolution which is crucial as it comes at a time when the country is being taken into an abyss of darkness, on foreign policy, and on the economic situation of the country," Jha said.

He said the thrust of the speeches by Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav and Sharad Yadav was that the country's situation is very serious with unemployment at its highest in five decades.

"The government has no blueprint. If you talk of unemployment, they talk of bulldozers and hijabs. Where there should be a willingness to strengthen communal harmony, there they (BJP) are doing Hindu-Muslim. The country needs a new direction in its 75th year," Jha said.

"They (the three leaders) pointed out that the change in Bihar is not an ordinary one. We have come together putting aside differences and egos. Now, this has to be replicated in the whole country.

"The Opposition will sit together, there will be talks and a progressive document will be prepared against unemployment, inflation and in support of communal harmony so that in the 75th year of independence our heritage is not destroyed," he said.

Jha said the change that is needed has begun from Bihar and opposition parties are sitting together in different parts of the country.

"When we sit together, a better alternative will emerge and it would not be an 'atmamugdh (self-centred)' person. We have seen the results of self-centred politics in the last eight years which has destroyed all things dear to us," the senior RJD leader said.

Asked if any names were discussed for leading the Opposition camp to take on the BJP in 2024, Jha said it's not the individual but collectivity that is important.

"We are not buying a shampoo that this will not work but this will work. Democracy is about collectivity, when collectivity is ended in democracy, it gives rise to Narendra Modis," the RJD leader said.

Will the alternative to Narendra Modi be a bigger Narendra Modi or the alternative will be collectivity, he asked.

"Those who say how an alternative can come about should recall 2004. Was there a face then? How the 'Shining India' came down. Their (BJP's) journey from two seats to 303 will start going in reverse from 2024," he added.

Jha claimed that the BJP has been rattled by the Opposition joining ranks.

Elaborating on Lalu Prasad's remarks at the meeting, Jha said he talked of his history of social justice, challenges posed by the RSS-BJP that could destroy the fabric of the country and the roadmap ahead.

Lalu Prasad said that every person has to unite 20 other people and take real issues to villages, according to Jha.

On the CBI filing a charge sheet against Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi in connection with the alleged land-for-railway jobs scam, Jha said "this is the BJP's charge sheet".

"We don't want to act on their directions, so a closed case is reopened and you create characters on your own and then you file a charge sheet. We charge the BJP that you have destroyed the character of these institutions," he said.

On RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks that the caste system should be discarded, Jha said such remarks do not behove those who promote it.

"Look at the RSS structure, what social justice is there. RJD chief (Lalu Prasad) quoted from (former RSS chief) M S Golwalkar's book 'Bunch of Thoughts' what he thought of Kashi Vishwanath temple, the Constitution and reservation," he said.