RJD to get jailed MPs for trust vote

With the United Progressive Alliance government counting on every single vote, its key ally the Rashtriya Janata Dal said on Monday that the party would make efforts to bring its two jailed members from Bihar during the trust vote on July 22 even as it issued a whip to all its 24 Lok Sabha members to support the Congress-led coalition.

The jailed Members of Parliament are Siwan strongman Mohammed Shahabuddin and Madhepura MP, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, both of whom have been convicted in serious criminal cases.

Even in the last presidential elections, the Siwan MP came to Delhi to vote after taking permission from the court.

Party general secretary Shyam Rajak told PTI that the RJD will follow the judicial process to get the two convicted MPs to come to Parliament and participate in the voting.

Chief general secretary Ramdeo Bhandary said the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Ram Kripal Yadav has issued a whip to party members to support the UPA government during the trial of strength.

Party president and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has asked the MPs to be present in New Delhi a week ahead of the trust vote in the Parliament.

Of the 24 RJD MPs, 22 are from Bihar and the remaining from Jharkhand.

Rajak exuded confidence that the UPA will win the trust vote easily as it has support of more MPs than required.