PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal ( RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav will attend the party’s national executive meeting on February 10 in Patna ahead of its organisational polls and membership drive over the next eight months. The process will culminate with the election of RJD’s state and the national presidents.

Yadav, who has been unwell, is awaiting the verdict in the fifth and final fodder scam case involving him on February 15. A special court in Ranchi has completed its trial in the case related to the fraudulent withdrawal of ₹139 crore from a treasury. Yadav was released from jail in April last year on bail in four other fodder scam cases in which he has been sentenced.

RJD leader Chittaranjan Gaggan said the organisational polls are held every three years. “ In the last organisational polls in 2019, the RJD president got elected unopposed despite being behind the bars,” said Gaggan. He said 76 members of the national executive, including representatives from other states, would attend the meeting in Patna. Resolutions would also be passed there on social, political, and economic issues.

Gaggan said if doctors permit, Yadav will come to Patna, or else he would attend the meeting virtually from Delhi.

Yadav visited Bihar in October to campaign for RJD’s candidates in by-polls to two seats.

There have been demands for the elevation of his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to the post of national president. This has triggered speculation that the RJD chief might not seek re-election.

Lalu Prasad Yadav has remained RJD’s national president for 11 consecutive terms since the party’s formation in 1997.

“There is sibling rivalry in RJD’s first family and any move to elevate Tejashwi for a bigger role could trigger a fresh round of feud. This is why there are all chances the RJD chief will continue …for another term of three years,” said an RJD leader, seeking anonymity.