Tired of Janata politics, JD-U’s Prakash quits

Disillusioned with the Janata parivar’s politics of opportunism and the performance of the Vajpayee Government, the Janata Dal (United)...

Disillusioned with the Janata parivar’s politics of opportunism and the performance of the Vajpayee Government, the Janata Dal (United)’s spokesman Mohan Prakash quit the party today.

Prakash is likely to join the Congress. Though he did not say so categorically, he hinted to this effect. For one, he said the ‘‘Congress is at least better than the BJP.’’ Second, asked if he would join the Congress if invited he remarked: ‘‘Why not?’’

He is the second spokesman of parties belonging to the Janata parivar to have quit. But unlike Shambu Srivastava of the Samata Party — who is still with the party — Prakash has chosen to quit his post and give up the primary membership of the JD(U) as well. Srivastava had to quit after his party disowned his demand for the ouster of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

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Prakash’s decision to end his long association with the non-Congress stream of politics has more to do with the moribund state of the JD(U) under Union Labour Minister Sharad Yadav’s stewardship than his unhappiness with the NDA Government. ‘‘Sharad Yadav and I had differences over the party’s approach to and assessment of political situations,’’ he said.

Prakash said he had remained loyal to the socialist stream and JD(U) as other ‘‘socialists’’ had floated their own ‘‘private limited’’ parties. He had tried to unite the bickering factions of the Janata stream but without success. ‘‘I am tired now,’’ he said.