Senior Bihar Congress leader Ashok Kumar joins JD(U)
Mr. Ashok Ram has been a Dalit face of the party for long.
Mr. Ashok Ram, who has been the party's six-time MLA and State Legislature Party leader as well, quit the Congress party ahead of party leader Rahul Gandhi's likely visit to the poll-bound State for a padyatra (foot march) in 18 districts from August 10.
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Rajesh Ram, a Dalit leader, is the president of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC).
Mr. Ashok Ram has been winning Assembly elections from the Rosera Assembly constituency in Samastipur district. He has also been a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and was regarded as a senior leader with a Dalit face in the party for long. He comes from a political background as his father, Baleshwar Ram, too has been a seven-time legislator.
While joining the JD(U) at a Milan Samaroh in Patna, Mr. Ashok Ram alleged that 'Congress party has no respect for Dalits and the party has remained as only a B-team of the Rashtriya Janata Dal.' He also said he was 'impressed' with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's work for the Dalits and poor people of the society to 'join JD(U)'.
JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha, State party chief Umesh Kushwaha, Ministers in Nitish Kumar's Cabinet Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Sharwan Kumar and Ratnesh Sada too were present during the occasion. Mr. Sada is Dalit leader of JD(U).
'In days to come, several Congress leaders will join JD(U) and the Congress party is going to be non-existence in Bihar,' Mr. Jha claimed during the occasion. 'Ashok Ram's joining us in JD(U) will not only strengthen party's organisation but also party's resolve to '2025, phir se Nitish [2025-once again Nitish],' State JD(U) chief Umesh Kushwaha said.
'Ashok Ram comes from a respected political family, and his coming to our party will definitely be a big boost for the party' Minister for Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said.
Meanwhile, State Congress party sources told The Hindu that Mr. Ashok Ram had some differences with party's state in-charge Krishna Allavaru and so he preferred to quit the party. The other senior State Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity though, added, 'Since Ashok Ram wanted party ticket for his son Atirek Kumar for the upcoming Assembly elections and getting assurances for this, he quit the party….many more leaders from other parties would come to our party as well as it happens when elections knock at the door.'
'Ahead of Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Parliament Rahul Gandhi's visit to the State in the second week of this months, Mr. Ram quitting the party to join JD(U) will be a big jolt for the party and in days to come many more party leaders too would follow the same,' said JD(U) leader for Rural Works Department Ashok Choudhary.
Mr. Choudhary, earlier, was in the Congress party and president of the BPCC. He joined JD(U) in 2018 and a year later, in June 2019, he became Minister for Building Construction Department in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Cabinet.
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