Bihar: JD-U closes doors for Suryagarha MLA Prahlad Yadav

Patna, July 16 (IANS) Janata Dal (United) has formally announced it will not give a ticket to Prahlad Yadav, sitting MLA from Suryagarha (Lakhisarai), in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, ending the political speculation around his future.

Union Minister and JD-U’s senior leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, while addressing the media in Suryagarha, declared: “Suryagarha is JD-U’s seat, and the party will field its candidate based on social equations. One thing is certain, the terror of Lakhisarai will not get a JDU ticket under any circumstances.”

Without naming Prahlad Yadav directly, Lalan Singh referred to him as “the Bahubali of Lakhisarai”, sending a clear message that JD-U’s doors are closed for the MLA.

Prahlad Yadav, once considered “King of Lakhisarai”, began his political journey with Lalu Prasad Yadav and was elected MLA multiple times on RJD’s ticket.

His wife also served as District Council President.

His defection during the February 12, 2024, floor test, where he switched sides from the opposition to support the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government, shocked RJD leaders, including Tejashwi Yadav, who expressed surprise in the assembly.

However, this move has now backfired, leaving him isolated in both JD-U and RJD, with no apparent political shelter in either party.

Lalan Singh is currently among the most powerful leaders in the JD-U and is known for his proximity to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

He made it clear that JD-U will not entertain Prahlad Yadav’s candidature. The NDA alliance will not accommodate Prahlad Yadav.

Returning to RJD appears impossible for him, given the bitterness and shock his defection caused within the Lalu-Tejashwi camp.

What was seen as a strategic move to align with the ruling NDA has now turned into a political miscalculation for Prahlad Yadav.

Leaving Lalu Prasad Yadav could hurt him in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Prahlad Yadav won the 2020 Bihar Assembly election on the RJD ticket from Suryagarha.

--IANS

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