"I am contesting against Lalu Yadav": BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy on contesting against ex CM's daughter, Rohini

After being pitted against Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav's daughter in Saran Lok Sabha constituency, Bharatiya Janata Party MP and candidate from Saran, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, said on Wednesday that he is contesting against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav.

After being pitted against Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav's daughter in Saran Lok Sabha constituency, Bharatiya Janata Party MP and candidate from Saran, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, said on Wednesday that he is contesting against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. Notably, Rudy earlier had successfully contested against Lalu Yadav's family from the same constituency in 2014 and 2019. In 2014, he defeated Ex CM, Rabri Devi, wife of Lalu Yadav and in 2019, he defeated Chandrika Rai, father-in-law of Tej Pratap Yadav, son of Lalu Yadav.

Speaking to ANI, Rudy said, "I am being repeatedly asked, who are you contesting against? I say against Lalu Yadav. People ask, why do you say so? I say it is Lalu Yadav in Chapra." Further slamming the RJD, the BJP MP said that the party is having a "scarcity" of leaders which is why they have to name candidates from their own families.

"I am contesting against that family, in which when he (Lalu Yadav) goes to jail, appoints his wife as the CM. I don't have any objection to that...When they don't get any candidate from Patliputra, he sends his daughter to Rajya Sabha and then makes her the candidate from Patliputra...He makes his one son as Chief Minister and the other a Cabinet Minister. Now, he brings his daughter as a candidate," Rudy said. "Is this a political party? They have such a scarcity of candidates that they don't get leaders to name as candidates. Many people are raising this question," he added.

He further said that people are also asking candidate's address but his opponents are "reluctant" to answer the question. "For the first time in my political career of 40 years, people are asking my address. I stay in Chapra only. I stay in Saran and I go for my parliamentary work and other works across the country," Rudy said.

"But, this question is being asked by my opponents also. And there is a great reluctance in my opposition candidates to say what is their address. A big question. I leave it to the people to answer," he added. Bihar sends 40 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The polling in the state will be held in seven phases: April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting will be done on June 4.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP-led NDA registered a dominating performance winning 39 out of 40 seats. (ANI)

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