Patna: Without naming RJD chief Lalu Prasad, former MP Ranjan Prasad Yadav on Friday slammed the former, alleging that despite belonging to the same caste, some people have fooled the community and thrown them away after using them as vote banks.

Ranjan said this during an event organised under the banner of Yadav Jangran Manch at SK Memorial Hall. The manch was holding its third state conference in which people from the Yadav community were present which plays a pivotal role in Bihar electoral politics.

"The social, economic and educational condition of the Yadav community is pathetic in Bihar. Eighty per cent Yadavs are living a miserable life. The people of this community are innocent and good natured but people use them according to the situation and do not resolve their issue after taking their votes," Ranjan said in the almost-packed hall.

The friend-turned-political rival of Lalu had even managed to defeat the latter from the Patliputra Lok Sabha seat in the 2009 elections.

However, he joined the BJP after Nitish joined hands with Lalu.

The representatives of the manch from all 534 blocks in Bihar had gathered at the event. Sources in the manch said the event was organised to dent the Yadav vote bank, the single largest community of OBC which constitutes 14 per cent of the vote share.

Whether the motive of the manch was to attack Lalu, he said: "No, this manch is not against anyone and it is purely a non-political outfit. I do not want to comment on him," the former MP said.

However, there was no picture of Lalu, the face of the Yadav community, among the photographs of other leaders at the event. Photographs of former chief minister Daroga Prasad Rai, former Speaker Baliram Bhagal, BP Mandal of the Mandal Commission fame were given proper space.

Ranjan claimed that through the manch, steps will be taken to revive the glory of the Yadavs as the community is going through a bad phase in the field of education, health, employment and others.

Ranjan, once known to be a friend, philosopher and guide of Lalu, was the No. 2 in the Lalu regime. However, they fell out in 2002 and Lalu expelled Ranjan.

An RJD MLA said: "Ranjan Yadav holding a Yadav meeting clearly proves that he is preparing the ground for the 2019 Lok Sabha election and may act like a ' vote katwa' who will try to divide votes to thwart the RJD's victory. But I must say that last time as well leaders like Pappu Yadav and Asaduddin Owaisi tried to divide Yadav and Muslim votes but nothing happened because Laluji is the undisputed leader and will remain the leader of Yadavs till his last breath."