Laluji has been our national president, will always be: RJD's Abdul Ghafoor

The RJD recently re-elected its founder Lalu Prasad Yadav as the party's national president, despite speculations running rife that the post would go to his younger son Tejaswi Yadav. Speaking to ETV Bharat, senior party leader Dr Abdul Ghafoor defended the election and said that Lalu Prasad has been leading RJD for years and would do so in future too.

New Delhi/Bihar: With Rashtriya Janta Dal founder Lalu Prasad Yadav being re-elected as the party's national president for the 11th consecutive term, over his younger son Tejaswi Yadav, senior party leader Dr Abdul Ghafoor defended the election and said that Lalu Prasad has been leading RJD for years and would do so in future too.

"He has always been the national president and will be in future too. Lalu Prasad is the national face of the party, " said Ghafoor while speaking to ETV Bharat.

Terming the arrest of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad in the fodder scam case as "unfair", Ghafoor added, "We all know how Lalu Ji has been trapped (booked) unfairly, and we cannot abandon him in such a situation, and nor can he abandon us. He still guides us through our political journey from time to time."

When asked if the party didn't find Tejaswi competent enough for the role, Ghafoor said, "He is our leader of the opposition, and the party has been working under his direction in Bihar in the absence of Lalu Ji."

On senior party leaders opposing the election of Tejaswi as the national president, the MLA from Mahishi assembly constituency said, "When Tejswai Yadav was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state (under the Nitish Kumar government), all senior leaders supported, guided him, and blessed him."

On Tuesday, Prasad's nomination papers were filed on his behalf, at RJD state headquarters here, by his sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, who made a joint appearance putting aside the tug of war that was witnessed in the wake of the former having been anointed as the heir apparent despite being the younger of the two brothers.

Top leaders like national vice-president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, national general secretary Kanti Singh and state president Jagadanand Singh all associated with the party since inception in 1997 were among those present besides MLA and close aide of the RJD supremo Bhola Yadav.