Patna: The RJD has offered Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Mayawati a Rajya Sabha ticket but the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister has refused, leader of Opposition in the Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said on Sunday.
As per the strength of the party in the Bihar Assembly, the RJD can send two persons to the Rajya Sabha. Elections for six Rajya Sabha seats will be held on March 23 this year.
After Mayawati resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 18 last year alleging that she was not allowed to speak on atrocities against Dalits in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, RJD chief Lalu Prasad had declared that his party was more than eager to give her a ticket to the Parliament's upper House.
"When Mayawati ji resigned, my father, Laluji, had offered her a seat saying that if she requires the RJD can send her to Rajya Sabha on our quota," Tejashwi said on Sunday at a programme organised to mark the birth anniversary of Sant Ravi Das. "Day before yesterday, notification for the Rajya Sabha election was announced and I remember what my father said. On the same day in the evening I called up Mayawati ji and reminded her about my father's words and asked if she wants to go to Rajya Sabha," Tejashwi added.
Sant Ravi Das is considered a spiritual leader for Dalits, who comprise around 16 per cent of Bihar's population. Mayawati is also a Dalit.
"I told Mayawati ji that we all want to send her to the Rajya Sabha and I also want to fulfil my father's promise," Tejashwi said. "Mayawatiji said that Lalu ji has a big heart, give my regards to him. Mayawatiji said that she will not go to Parliament as long as the fascist forces (read BJP) are present there."
The RJD is trying hard to woo Dalits. Political observers feel that if the RJD can bag the Dalit vote, then nobody can stop Lalu from coming back to power in Bihar.
"There was only one leader, Lalu ji, who supportedMayawati when she was not allowed to speak," Tejashwi said. "I am really sad that there is silence in Parliament because no one is there to raise the voice of the downtrodden."
