The announcement follows JD(U)’s recent statement that its five Lok Sabha MPs would resign if MNS chief Raj Thackeray was not arrested by November 6. Only two days ago, the RJD chief had said that he would speak after the Chhath Puja.
Addressing mediapersons, Lalu said: “Delegation of various parties had sent out a strong message of unity against the surge of regionalism in Maharashtra. But JD(U) decided to go it all alone to gain cheap publicity ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.”
He accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of “backing” his party’s central leadership decision of resignation of MPs.
Lalu said he would start seeking resignation of RJD’s 24 Lok Sabha MPs, four Rajya Sabha MPs, 54 MLAs and seven MLCs in a few days. “But Nitish and NDA must show the same guts. Let Nitish not be power-hungry. Three years as CM is good enough. I, too, have ruled for a long time and will not hesitate to quit.”
Bihar has 243 Assembly seats and 40 Lok Sabha seats.
The Union Minister repeated that his offer must not be taken as a “nautanki (gimmick)”. “I am serious,” said Lalu, suggesting that all political parties of Bihar must unite and fight against divisive forces.
“Let there be a steering committee to lead our joint movement. But no Bihar party would be allowed to have truck with Bal Thackeray’s Shiv Sena,” said Lalu. One cannot have the best of both worlds, warned the minister.
He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had already given a strong message to the Maharashtra Government to rein in MNS “goons”.
Reacting to Lalu’s statement, Nitish said: “Even if we resign, it will serve no purpose. We are asking for the imposition of President’s Rule in Maharashtra but will end up having President’s R ule in Bihar for no rhyme or reason.”
The Bihar Chief Minister said Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan could exert direct pressure on the Centre to take action against the Maharashtra Government. “If 29 UPA MPs from Bihar threaten to resign, everything will be solved in a minute.”
Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi on Sunday said in Delhi that all possible steps under the law were being taken to ensure safety of north Indians in Mumbai and resignations were not the solution to such problems.