RJD decides to “boycott” panel discussions on news channels after Congress and SP

PATNA: Taking a cue from its alliance partner Congress and the Samajwadi Party with which it has close ties, Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has restrained its leaders from taking part in panel discussions on news channels “until further orders”.nnAccording to a communication issued by RJD national general secretary Alok Mehta, dated June 20, “as per directions of national president Lalu Prasad and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, all are informed that until further orders, no legislator, MP or any other leader shall take part in panel discussions.”nn”It may also be noted that the current list of RJD spokespersons stands annulled and a new list will be prepared and released in due course”, the communication added.nn”In the meantime, if any person associated with the party does take part in a panel discussion his or her views shall be deemed to be personal and not that of the party”, it added.nnNotably, immediately after its poor show in the Lok Sabha polls, Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party had cancelled the posts of all its spokespersons and restrained all its leaders from appearing in panel discussions. A similar move was made by the Congress a few days later.nnThe RJD, which had ruled Bihar for a decade and a half and still has the largest number of MLAs in the state, had drawn a blank in the Lok Sabha polls, putting up its worst- ever performance since formation in 1997.nnSource: Press Trust of India