Amid the tense political atmosphere in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad has called a meeting of party legislators on Monday, while alliance partner Janata Dal (United) has called a meeting of its core committee on Tuesday.
The Opposition BJP, for its part, has appealed to RJD and JD(U) MLAs to pressure their party leaders to seek the resignation of Mr. Prasad’s son, Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav, in the wake of the CBI booking him for alleged corruption in the award of a contract for managing two railway hotels.
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Nitish silent
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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar returned to Patna on Sunday afternoon, after three days in Rajgir, and drove straight to his 1 Anne Marg residence. He did not speak to the media.
Mr. Kumar and his party leaders have been maintaining a stoic silence on the CBI raids on Mr. Prasad’s premises and the charge sheet filed against Rabri Devi and Mr. Tejaswi Yadav in connection with the railway hotels scam.
The “image conscious” Chief Minister was expected to take a decision on Mr. Tejaswi Yadav after reaching Patna. But that did not happen. Mr. Kumar has also cancelled his weekly Lok Samvad programme on Monday due to “ill-health”.
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Mr. Prasad has been meeting senior party leaders and legal advisers at his 10 Circular Road residence for the past two days.
Legal advisers
Party sources said he spoke to eminent lawyer and party’s Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani twice.
Party leaders coming out after meeting the RJD chief said they would not be cowed down by the BJP’s political vendetta. Party sources told The Hindu that the RJD chief had identified another member for Deputy Chief Minister should Mr. Tejaswi Yadav need to be replaced.
Not to quit
Names of State Finance Minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Lalit Yadav, MLA, and Mr. Prasad’s elder son, Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav, came up at the closed-door meeting with some top party leaders. However, party insiders said neither Mr. Tejaswi Yadav nor any of the family members favoured his resignation.
Meanwhile, senior State BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi told presspersons that he was appealing to all RJD and JD(U) MLAs to demand the resignation of Mr. Tejaswi Yadav.
The party’s leaders have been holding meetings for the last two days to discuss the fast changing political situation. Top State BJP leaders asked legislators on Sunday to gear up for a possible mid-term poll.