Lalu Yadav's son says won't quit, BJP woos Nitish Kumar

Patna: The next 48 hours will be critical for Bihar politics as the Rashtriya Janata Dal clearly indicated on Monday that Lalu Prasad Yadav’s younger son Tejashwi Yadav will not resign as Bihar’s deputy chief minister “under any circumstances”. After a meeting of RJD legislators here on Monday, a senior party leader said that the “question of his resignation does not arise, he is a leader of the RJD legislative party and deputy chief minister of the state and people have been appreciating his work”.

Sources said Tejashwi Yadav’s resignation was one of the core issues that were discussed at the meeting. They said “the party has decided to not to bow down to the pressure of the BJP’s growing demands for Tejashwi Yadav’s removal from the Cabinet”. The meeting was the first one held after the CBI’s raids on the premises of Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members over alleged land scam charges. Party sources said Mr Lalu Yadav told the RJD leaders the allegations against his family was not true as Rabri Devi was not Bihar chief minister and Tejashwi was a minor in 2006.

The BJP, meanwhile, indicated on Monday that the party might be willing to offer outside support to Nitish Kumar in Bihar in case the RJD and Congress choose to break the alliance. “We can always discuss the issue with our central leadership if Nitish Kumar decides to drop Lalu Yadav’s son Tejashwi Yadav from his Cabinet”, state BJP chief Nityanad Rai told this newspaper.

He earlier threatened to launch a massive stir to put pressure on Mr Kumar for Tejashwi’s resignation. “It is the public which decides everything, and if Nitish Kumar doesn’t take the resignation (of) his deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, then we will launch a massive agitation in Bihar”, Mr Rai had said.

The BJP, which was once a JD(U) alliance partner, has been flirting with Nitish Kumar ever since cracks appeared in the Grand Secular Alliance government.

After the RJD meeting, senior party leader and state finance minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui said: “The raids are part of a conspiracy by the BJP, which is trying to stop the unity of Opposition parties. Attempts are also being made to break the alliance, but we will not let that happen. During the meeting, we have also urged party MLAs to make our rally successful.”

The statement comes amid growing tensions between RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who is said to be upset by the continuous raids and corruption charges against Mr Yadav, his son Tejashwi Yadav and other family members.

The statements by RJD leaders on Tejashwi Yadav’s resignation have upset the Bihar CM, and the issue is likely to be discussed at the JD(U) MLAs’ meeting on Tuesday, that will be chaired by Mr Nitish Kumar.

JD(U) sources also said Mr Kumar has decided not to attend the crucial Opposition parties’ meeting on the vice-presidential election in New Delhi on Tuesday. This move is likely to further dent Opposition unity, but party insiders said that “a senior party leader will be asked to attend the meeting as Nitish Kumar can’t travel due to viral infection, and second, he has also called a meeting of party leaders in Patna”. Senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav may attend the Oppositon meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.

In the middle of this growing turmoil in the state, Mr Nitish Kumar has maintained a studied silence on the issue. he is likely to break his silence only after the JD(U)’s meeting on Tuesday. However, senior RJD leader Jagdanand Singh said “Nitish Kumar spoke to Lalu Yadav on Sunday after he returned to Patna”, but refused to give details about their discussion.

Former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi has also raised questions about Mr Kumar’s silence, saying: “Nitish Kumar has always practised politics of convenience, and I am sure he doesn’t have the courage to demand Tejashwi’s resignation as he fears that his government will collapse”.