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NEW DELHI: Family feuds in political parties to hog political spoils are coming to the fore as dates for parliament elections approach.
While in Bihar, Sadhu Yadav, who is the brother-in-law of Lalu Yadav, will contest against his sister Rabri Devi. In Chennai, DMK chief M Karunanidhi kicked out his elder son M K Alagiri from the the party for anti-party activities. He was suspended from the party on Jan 23.
As is well known, Karunanidhi has affinity for his younger son and DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin.
Karunanidhi said the party warned him and also sought explanation from him for his anti-party activities, but Alagiri didn’t relent.
“This forced us to take the decision of expelling him from the party,’’ Karunanidhi said.
Alagiri is being courted by the BJP and the Congress leaders for his support in the Lok Sabha elections.
Karunanidhi (right) talking to his son Alagiri
Karunanidhi doesn’t want anyone in the DMK to challenge his younger son Stalin. In fact, he had expelled Vaiko in 1993 for the same reason. Vaiko now heads the MDMK.
For the same reason, Karunanidhi had sent Alagiri to the Centre as a Union minister. Both the BJP and the Congress are now courting Alagiri.
In Patna, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad’s brother-in-law Sadhu Yadav said that he is contesting as an independent from the Saran parliament seat against his sister Rabri Devi.
Sadhu Yadav said, “I will fight Saran Lok Sabha election as an independent.’’
Asked why he was challenging his own sister and former chief minister Rabri Devi, he said, “Chunav ke samay janata me khulasa karege (I will reveal the reason before people during the campaign).’’
As to the family feud, he said, “Siyasat me sab chalta hai (it happens in politics).’’
Saran is the constituency from where Lalu Prasad began his political career by winning in the 1977 elections.
Rabri Devi already has a strong contender in BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy for the May 7 poll.
A controversial man, Sadhu Yadav wielded a great clout during RJD rule in Bihar for from 1990 to 2005. He was expelled from the party during the 2009 parliament elections which he contested unsuccessfully on the Congress ticket from Bettiah.
He was also expelled from the Congress recently for hobnobbing with Narendra Modi.
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