JOIN USLalu asks allies to elect new leader
Stung by the sudden resignation of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday evening said since the mandate in the 2015 election was against the BJP, the three allies should elect a new leader.
“All three parties – the RJD, JD(U) and the Congress — should sit together and elect a new leader. Since Nitish has said he can’t run the government anymore, it’s better that a new leader, other than Nitish and Tejashwi, is elected who could be sworn in as Bihar chief minister,” said Lalu before leaving for Ranchi, where he has to appear in a fodder scam case trial.
“Nitish used to say that mitti mein mil jayenge, par BJP se haath nahin milayenge (Even if I am decimated, I would not join hands with the BJP). But today, after coming out of the Raj Bhavan, he dropped ample hints that he was not averse to joining hands with the BJP. This shows his true colours,” Lalu said.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also quick in congratulating Nitish, which shows Nitish was already hand in glove with those elements whom we defeated in the 2015 polls,” said Lalu. The RJD chief cited a legal document which showed that Nitish was booked in a murder and attempt-to-murder case at Pandarak Police Station two decades ago. “Nitish is actually facing a murder case under Section 302 and 307. If convicted, he could face a life term in the case lodged at Pandarak Police Station in rural Patna,” said Lalu.
“Bhrashtachar se bada hai atyachar (Committing an atrocity is more serious crime than corruption)”. Lalu drew this parallel to defend his son Tejashwi, who has been slapped with graft charges.
“Right from the beginning, we had this apprehension that Nitish was hand in glove with the BJP as he supported Modi on surgical strike, demonetisation and his Presidential candidate choice, Ram Nath Kovind,” Lalu added. The RJD Legislature Party will soon meet to chart out the next course of action.