Suspense on as Tejashwi Yadav meets Nitish Kumar

Patna: Amid mounting pressure to sack deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with him.

“The agenda is not known as the meeting between the chief minister and Tejashwi Yadav was official,” RJD leader and finance minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui said.

After the crucial 40-minute meeting between Mr Tejashwi Yadav and Mr Kumar, RJD chief Lalu Yadav summoned top RJD leaders to discuss the issue.

Sources said efforts are being made to find a middle path to end the ongoing political tussle and save the grand secular alliance government in Bihar.

RJD sources said Mr Tejashwi Yadav during one-on-one meeting with Mr Kumar said his family has decided to fight a legal battle instead of giving a detailed public clarification on the corruption charges against him.

“Seeking resignation on the basis of an FIR is not right as the family has decided to fight a legal battle,” an RJD insider told this newspaper after the meeting on Tuesday.

This was the first meeting between the two leaders after the charges of corruption were brought against Deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. The meeting has now set off speculations on the future of grand secular alliance in Bihar.

Observers said Mr Lalu Yadav had earlier floated an idea to resolve the issue by asking RJD ministers, including his two sons, to resign and provide an external support to the JD (U), but the offer was rejected by Mr Kumar.

Sources said the “compromise formula” being worked out between two parties will save Mr Tejashwi Yadav for the time being — at least, till the CBI files a chargesheet against him.

Mr Kumar has been hinting his party would prefer Mr Tejashwi Yadav’s resignation. Sources said Congress is trying to mediate between the two leaders to save the alliance.