Tej Pratap Yadav furious with RJD s veteran state president Jagadanand

Lalu Prasads mercurial elder sonTej Pratap Yadav, known for his frequent run-ins with seniorleaders of the RJD, on Saturday chose to unleash his fury onstate president and old loyalist Jagadanand Singh.

Journalists made a scramble for the partys Bir ChandPatel Marg office upon learning that the maverick RJD MLA hasmade an unscheduled visit to the premises, accompanied by aband of cheerleaders and boiling with rage.

Yadav led the scribes to the chamber of Singh, who wasnot present, and screamed ''I am told party workers seeking anaudience with him are told to obtain prior appointment. Isthis how a democratic party functions?'' He also raked up the issue of his fathers ill-healthand blamed ''people like Jagadanand'' who has remained byPrasads side in thick and thin - for the ''poor shape in whichLalu Prasad and his party are today''.

Yadav, who has launched a drive to press the demandfor his jailed father's release, as part of which postcardsaddressed to President Ram Nath Kovind were being dispatchedafter being signed by RJD workers, also fumed that Singh wasyet to be a signatory.

After giving vent to his rage for some time, Yadav,who sported his trademark sacred marks on the forehead but,incongruently, donned western style jacket and trousers,stormed out of the party office.

Before taking his seat inside his car, he blurted withcharacteristic immodesty, ''I am the partys mananiya(honourable) MLA from Hassanpur seat. And the state presidenthas not even deigned to come and receive me''.

Replying to a query, Yadav said, he never had such anexperience with Singhs predecessor Ram Chandra Purve.

However, Purve, who was replaced by Singh less thantwo years ago, used to be similarly in the crosshairs of themaverick leader.

Both Purve and Singh have been known to be closer toPrasads younger son Tejashwi Yadav who has outshined hiselder brother in political standing and come to be recognisedas the de facto leader of the party as well as the five-partyGrand Alliance helmed by the RJD.

The elder ones latest outbursts are understood tohave been a result of complaints by some of his own''loyalists'' that they were not being given due importance.

Later, Singh, who is senior to Tej Pratap Yadavsfather by a few years, had a tough time averting pryingquestions from journalists.

''There is no problem. I will talk to him (Tej PratapYadav)'' was all that the visibly shaken former Buxar MP couldmumble.

The RJDs decades old ally Congress chose to stay mumover the embarrassing episode and sought to deflect queries onthe same.

''It is an internal matter of the RJD. The partysleadership is capable of handling any situation. If anybodyhas a cause for worry in Bihar politics, it is the rulingJD(U)-BJP combine which seems poised to come apart on accountof internal contradictions'', said Congress MLC and AICC mediapanellist Prem Chandra Mishra.

Nonetheless, JD(U) MLC and spokesman Neeraj Kumar cameout with a stinging criticism.

''I wish to ask Jagadanand Singh why has he beenprostrating (dandvat). You cannot expect respect for your ageand experience in a party which has become the fiefdom of apolitical family'', Kumar said.