Tejashwi Yadav won't quit, will clarify in August, says RJD

Patna: Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav will not step down from his post, the RJD clarified after a party meet on Sunday.

Sources said party leaders also raised questions on JD(U)’s persistent demands for Tejashwi’s resignation. However, RJD state president Ram Chandra Purvey told reporters, “Tejashwi Yadav will give a point-wise explanation during the rally on August 27.”

Observers said that cracks in Bihar’s ruling alliance had deepened. Insiders claimed that chief minister Nitish Kumar was likely to take a decision on Tejashwi before Bihar Assembly meets for Monsoon Session on July 28. On Saturday, Mr Kumar met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi where he is said to have urged him to take a stand on corruption charges against Tejashwi.

However, a section in the RJD denied reports of a rift. “There is no rift but a hype is being created by the BJP to damage Lalu Yadav. We will expose the BJP during our rally on August 27,” disaster management minister Chandrasekhar said.

Mr Kumar has been giving signals that he may sack Tejashwi if his position on corruption is not heeded by his coalition partners. BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, “JD(U) has been urging the deputy CM to explain his position on the corruption charges but there has been no response, so Mr Kumar must take a stand and remove him from the Cabinet.”  

Earlier this month the CBI had registered a corruption case against Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and younger son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav over alleged irregularities in awarding the tender to a private company while he was the Railway Minister in 2006.