Former RJD legislator Maheshwar Yadav (left) at the news conference at a hotel in Patna on Wednesday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, June 15: The dissent within the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) surfaced once again today with former legislator Maheshwar Prasad Yadav slamming the RJD chief Lalu Prasad for his statement against yoga practitioner Baba Ramdev.

Maheshwar, who had represented the party from Gaighat Assembly constituency in Muzaffarpur, said Lalu’s remarks about Ramdev was made “with ulterior motif of getting close to the Congress”. He said the RJD boss wanted a ministerial berth.

Maheshwar said: “Laluji wants to become a minister in the UPA-II government and in an effort to please the Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi he is attacking Baba Ramdev who has taken up the cudgel to fight against corruption.”

On the comment made by Lalu about Ramdev fleeing the Ramlila Maidan to save himself from being beaten by the police, Maheshwar said: “Laluji should not forget the days when during the JP Movement there was lathicharge on the activists and even Jaiprakash (Narayan) had to escape after climbing a wall after Sharad Yadav — JD (U)’s national president today —sustained head injuries.”

He said: “If Lalu was a daredevil, he should have stood up and fought against the police atrocities. It is easy to give sermons but it is difficult to face the real situation.”

The RJD leader criticised the recent statement of Lalu where he had said Baba Ramdev’s health has not worsened because of his hunger strike but because of the Union government’s decision to conduct an inquiry into his fund transactions of his trust.

Maheshwar said: “Even Laluji’s health worsened after he was charged in the fodder scam.” Praising the work as well as the agitation of Ramdev and Anna Hazare, Maheshwar said: “What JP did in the ’70s is the same what Baba Ramdev is doing today by fighting against corruption.”

The entire nation is with Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare who are fighting in bringing back the black money deposited in Swiss banks. The RJD legislator claimed that more than 90 per cent of party workers and leaders do not agree with the opinion of Lalu against Baba Ramdev.

Maheshwar, who is also the party’s executive member, claimed that there should be a national executive meeting over the issue where leaders should express their opinions.

Maheshwar is the second leader from the RJD camp who has raised his voice against Lalu in recent times. A few days ago, RJD legislator Nawal Kishore Yadav had openly criticised the RJD boss.

Nawal Kishore, an RJD MLA had slammed Lalu and said he has ashamed the Yadav community by mocking Ramdev. “He must apologise for his unsavoury remarks against the yoga televangelist,” he had said.

On a similar tune, Maheshwar said: “Laluji should at least learn from UP former chief minister and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav who had even extended his support to Ramdev in his fight against corruption.”

The RJD leader also requested the party chief, through his news conference that the leadership should think of strengthening the party by keeping a distance from both the Congress and the BJP.