BJP may play tricks, JD(U) on track to become national party: Lalan on Manipur defections
Patna, Sep 3: A day after most of its MLAs in Manipur joined the BJP, the JD(U) on Saturday lashed out at its former ally whom it accused of using "dhan bal" (money power) to poach legislators from other parties.
JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan alleged that the BJP did in Manipur what it had "previously attempted in Delhi, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra".
"Our MLAs in Manipur had defeated BJP candidates at the hustings. Ditto in Arunachal Pradesh where our MLAs were poached while we were still in NDA," fumed Lalan.
The development comes as an embarrassment for the party which is holding its national executive meeting here and trying to project Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, its de facto leader, for a bigger role.
"Whatever tricks the BJP may play, it will not be able to stop JD(U) from becoming a national party by 2023," asserted Lalan, who has been associated with Nitish Kumar for nearly four decades.
"The BJP should worry about itself. In 2015 assembly polls, none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed 42 rallies but the party could win only 53 seats in the 243-strong Bihar Vidhan Sabha. They should think of their fate in 2024 when the entire opposition will stand united against them," he said.
Referring to Modi's recent allegation that opposition parties were in a huddle to protect the corrupt, the JD(U) chief taunted "what BJP is doing to other parties is 'sadachar' but a joint fight against its brazen use of money power is 'bhrashtachar'. The prime minister has redefined these terms".
He also bristled at the remark of BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi that after Arunachal and Manipur it was Bihar's turn to become "JDU-mukt" where the party could be split by its bigger ally RJD of Lalu Prasad.
"Let Sushil Modi sell daydreams to his central leadership. It may help him to come out of political wilderness," remarked Lalan.
Five JD(U) MLAs joined the ruling BJP in Manipur on Friday. The JD(U) had won six of the 38 constituencies it had contested in the assembly elections held in March.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
