Tejashwi Gives Nitish The Slip As Rift Widens In Bihar
Nitish-Lalu alliance on thin ice.
The rift between Bihar’s ruling alliance RJD and JD(U) widened on Saturday as Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday skipped a government event in Patna where he was scheduled to share the dais with the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The incident seemed to have caught the Janata Dal (United) off guard as the party first covered his nameplate, then removed it all together after it was evident Tejashwi was indeed a no-show.
Patna: Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav's name plate covered, later removed, in an event to be attended by CM Nitish Kumar. pic.twitter.com/cmvbJkWzXf
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2017
Tejashwi Yadav's name plate covered, later removed at 'Vishwa Yuva Kaushal Divas'
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) July 15, 2017
Read @ANI_news story | https://t.co/R8NjynN1G7 pic.twitter.com/ABrPWMtgHJ
The difference between the partners sharpened after Yadav was booked in a corruption case by the CBI. Premises linked to him and the family of his father, Lalu Prasad Yadav, were raided by the investigative agency as well. The Grand Alliance in Bihar has Congress as the third partner along with the RJD and JD(U).
This latest incident is unlikely to go down well with Nitish Kumar, who is facing calls from alliance members to take bold decisions. The RJD has been adamant on Tejashwi Yadav's innocence, claiming he is a victim of political vendetta. The party has also ruled out any possibility of his resignation.
#WATCH: Bihar CM and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar evades question on #Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav. pic.twitter.com/9LpQktIYmT
— ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2017
According to new agency ANI, the JD(U) has called for a meeting of all MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) at Nitish Kumar's residence on Sunday. However, the agenda is still unclear. The Congress and the RJD meanwhile have also called a joint meeting of their MLAs on the same to discuss the strategy for the upcoming presidential polls.