I was deceived because I was not fond of 'chess': Shyam Rajak (Ld)

New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) After resigning from the primary membership of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Thursday, former Bihar Cabinet minister Shyam Rajak said he now has two options left before him -- either joining any other political party and take his vision forward, or quit politics for good. 

Rajak had rejoined the RJD from the JD(U) just before the Assembly elections in 2020 after he was sacked from the Bihar Cabinet. A prominent Dalit leader, Rajak had served as a minister in the RJD government in the past before leaving the party to join the JD(U) in 2009.

In his resignation letter to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rajak said, "Today, I resign from the position of National General Secretary and primary membership of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. I was not fond of a game of chess, hence I got cheated. You kept planning your moves, I kept caring about our relationship." 

Talking to IANS later, Rajak said, "I have already explained the reason for my resignation... I am not fond of chess, which is why I was deceived and hence I resigned."

"I now have two options before me... Either I join any other political party and take my vision forward, or quit politics for good," he added.

While some sources claimed that Rajak might rejoin the JD(U), there is no official confirmation on any such move yet.

When asked, Rajak said, "I will think about it, discuss the matter, and then reach a conclusion."

Despite his return to the party fold in 2020, Rajak was not given a ticket by the RJD, both during the Assembly elections that year and the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year.

In August 2020, then Industries Minister and JD(U) national General Secretary Rajak was sacked from the state Cabinet and expelled from the party for six years over 'anti-party' activities.

Sources said the decision came in the backdrop of speculation that he might resign from the ministership and join the RJD as he was reportedly miffed with the JD(U) headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

He also reportedly had differences with Industries Secretary S. Siddharth over the functioning of the department.