Lalu asks Sharad Yadav to undertake nationwide tour to defeat 'communal' forces

PANTA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday appealed to senior JDU leader Sharad Yadav to undertake a nationwide tour to defeat "communal" forces that have fanned out in the country. "The kind of communal atmosphere is prevailing in the country, we desperately need politicians like Sharad Yadav ji who believes in secular fabric of the nation," he said here. "I will appeal Sharad ji to undertake a nationwide tour and throw all his energy into defeating the communal forces that have fanned out in the country," he said. Notably, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury had met Sharad Yadav on July 28, the day JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar won the confidence vote in the Bihar assembly. According to sources, Sharad Yadav did not approve of Nitish Kumar's move to dump the "grand alliance" and form a government with BJP in Bihar. The former JDU president is also said to be "upset" over not being taken into "confidence" by the chief minister before he decided to align with the BJP. CPI leader Raja meets Sharad Yadav, says he is upset Sharad Yadav does not approve of Nitish Kumar's move to dump the 'grand alliance' and form government with the BJP, according to CPI leader D Raja who met him on Sunday. Raja said Yadav is "upset and disturbed" over the developments in Bihar. In a sudden development, Kumar had quit as Chief Minister on Wednesday last, dumping the grand alliance with the RJD and the Congress. He formed a new government next day with the BJP. "I understand he (Yadav) was kept out of the decision," the CPI leader said. Raja said he met Yadav after the latter called him up yesterday when he was in Chennai. Yadav, former president of JDU, has so far not commented publicly on the Bihar developments. Describing Kumar's action as "betrayal of the people's mandate" in Bihar, Raja said, "in this moment of crisis, Yadav should stand up and lead the fight against evil designs of BJP-RSS and communal forces." The CPI leader said Kumar's actions amounted to "subversion of democracy and secular fabric of the nation." He also objected to Kumar being allowed to form the new government, saying it is not a proper democratic practice.