Patna, Jan. 8: RJD chief Lalu Prasad is set to become the party's national president for the ninth consecutive term. He alone filed the nomination papers for the party's top post today.
Lalu arrived at the party office at 11am with his wife Rabri Devi, also the leader of RJD legislature party. Their sons and ministers Tej Pratap and Tejaswi Yadav arrived around the same time.
Former MP and RJD national election officer Jagadanand Singh - whom the party has appointed electoral officer - had already reached. A makeshift green tent (the party colour) had come up where he was waiting for Lalu to accept the nomination papers.
But the family first entered Lalu's official chamber.
All 12 RJD ministers were there, some waiting outside Lalu's chamber and others near Jagadanand's table.
Party workers and supporters had lined up, bouquets in hand. Around 25 minutes later, Lalu emerged from his chamber with Rabri and his sons and proceeded towards Jagadanand. As soon as Lalu reached his table, the electoral officer stood up to welcome him with folded hands and asked him to sit. Lalu sat down first. Rabri, Tej and Tejaswi followed.
Jagadanand took the nomination paper and began the procedure. At this moment, Rabri noticed that the party's newly elected state unite president, Ram Chandra Purbey (68), was standing behind her sons, both of whom were seated. She immediately told her elder son, health minister Tej Pratap, to vacate the chair for the senior leader.
On her instructions, both Tej Pratap and his younger brother, deputy chief minister Tejaswi, immediately stood up. Tej Pratap caught Purbey by his hand and urged him to sit down, but the elderly man was reluctant and said he had no problem standing. But after some hesitation, Purbey finally sat down. Tejaswi and Tej Pratap went and sat with other ministers nearby. Seeing an empty chair, Mundrika Singh Yadav, the RJD MLA from Jehanabad, sat down there.
Both sons returned to stand behind their parents and pose for photos at the time of filing of the nomination paper.
After filing the papers, Lalu greeted Jagadanand with folded hands and accepted the wishes of the leaders. He did not speak to journalists. "This is an electoral process and I am not supposed to speak here. You people better ask me questions later."
Emerging from the tent, Lalu said: "The organisational polls are taking place according to the party's constitution. We have completed the party's state elections. Today, I have filed the nomination for the post of party president and the tenure will end after three years. This is the procedure in every party."
Lalu's name for the post of the party's national president would be announced on January 17 during a two-day session at SK Memorial Hall.
Reacting to the filing of Lalu's nomination, Tejaswi said: "We are in the process of strengthening the party and the organisation. We will ensure that the party improves its performance in other states as well after emerging the single largest party in Bihar."
