JDU national executive meet today, new party president likely

The JDU has called for an emergency national executive meeting, where the party might get a new national president. The meeting has been called to discuss the blueprint of the membership campaign and the preparations for the upcoming assembly elections.

New Delhi: With an eye on the upcoming assembly elections in the five states including UP and Punjab, the Janata Dal (United) has called for an emergency national executive meeting at the 7 Jantar Mantar, the party's national office in the evening today.

The meeting will be attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, national president and Union Minister RCP Singh, all the party's Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, national office bearers, executive members, and state presidents of state units, where the party might get a new national president. The meeting has been called to discuss the blueprint of the membership campaign and the preparations for the upcoming assembly elections.

With the party members insisting on a 'one post, one man' formula, the party may ask for the resign from the current national president RCP Singh, who has recently been sworn in as Union Minister. JDU's parliamentary board chairman Upendra Kushwaha and Munger MP Lalan Singh are in the fray for the national president's post. By making Upendra Kushwaha the national president, Nitish can try to strengthen the Kurmi-Kushwaha equation further.

As there has been a rift in the party regarding the alleged preference been given to the Kurmi and Kushwaha community, because of Bihar JDU president Umesh Kushwaha. The party may announce the name of Lalan Singh as he is an upper-caste face in the party.

Read: JDU president race hots up, two hot contenders

Along with RCP Singh, Lalan Singh was also expected to become a minister in the central government, but JDU was being given just one berth in the union cabinet. This gives a fair chance to Lalan Singh to be the party's national president.

Earlier, in the day a meeting was conducted between the national office bearers under the chairmanship of the party's national president RCP Singh. While talking to the reporters after the meet, Tyagi said, "In the meeting, the party has demanded a caste-based census, also we want the recommendations given by the Justice G Rohini Commission to be implemented, so that the count of the deprived communities could be known."

Raising concern over the increasing population Tyagi said, "The increasing population in the country is a matter of concern. We welcome all the steps being taken for population control. Along with this, people should also be made aware of this direction."

Read: Face Off: Upendra Kushwaha and RCP Singh