Patna, July 9: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) state President Jagdanand Singh has reportedly offered resignation from the party amid his sour political ties with party chief and Lalu Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav.
While addressing the media during RJD's 25th Foundation Day, Tej Pratap Yadav appealed to all senior party leaders present on the stage and party members sitting in front of him to raise their hands in solidarity with the party.
On this occasion, Jagadanand Singh did not lift his hand. Tej Pratap, who was addressing the party members, immediately responded, saying that 'Jagadanand uncle' may be angry with him.
The party insiders believe that Tej Pratap was responsible for humiliating Jagdanand Singh, one of the seniormost members of the party, on a public platform. This may have triggered him to resign from the party," said a senior RJD leader.
As this political development spread in Patna, mediapersons reached the RJD headquarters located at Veer Chand Patel Path. Jagadanand Singh himself neither denied nor accepted that he had resigned from RJD. He has not responded to claims about his resignation.
"If he (Tej Pratap Yadav) is calling me uncle, there is not a question of differences between me and him," said the RJD State President.
Following the development, sources have said that Tejashwi Yadav came into damage control and interacted with father Lalu Prasad and requested him to intervene in the matter. The source added that as Lalu Prasad has taken the charge to sort out this problem, Jagadanand Singh has not publically accepted it that he has offered his resignation to Lalu Prasad.
RJD official spokesperson denied that Jagadanand Singh has given resignation as the party state President.
"The resignation of Jagadanand Singh is not true. It is just a rumour and nothing else," said Chitranjan Gagan, RJD state Spokesperson.
Meanwhile, BJP has cashed in over the controversy between Teja Pratap and Jagdanand Singh.
Nikhil Anand, the national General Secretary of BJP's OBC Wing said, "RJD is not a democratic party. It is a party of one family and its family members do not want any other leader to let flourish his/her political image in the party. Tej Pratap has not humiliated senior RJD leaders for the first time. He had compared socialist leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh with one 'Lota' (jug) water, he was instrumental in insulting senior party leaders Ram Chandra Purve, Shivanand Tiwari, among others in the past."
