No ‘secret pact’ with BJP, clarifies Tejashwi

Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, has vehemently denied reports in a section of media that there was a ‘secret understanding’ between the BJP and the RJD. This ‘understanding’, as per the media reports, was arrived at to weaken the legal cases against Tejashwi and, at the same time, weaken Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as well.

“This is a completely fabricated story. There is no secret understanding between the BJP and the RJD. I am Lalu Prasad’s son….I have the same blood…. Will never compromise on the issue of secularism and will never join hands with communal forces which are hell-bent on vitiating the peaceful atmosphere,” said Tejashwi.

The youngest son of Lalu-Rabri, who earlier served as Bihar Deputy Chief Minister in 2015-17, had taken a two-month-long break after the Lok Sabha elections, which, in turn, set the tongues wagging that there was a secret understanding between the BJP and the RJD.

“I was undergoing medical treatment in New Delhi,” said Tejashwi, without elaborating about his ailments or the hospital where he was treated. Neither he answered queries as to how the courts granted him relief (by providing him two months time to appear… and the investigating agency did not object to the court’s stand).

I am aware that when I was not here, a conspiracy was hatched against me (and the RJD) to spread the canard that I have joined hands with the BJP so as to get some relief in legal cases. This is completely rubbish,” said Tejashwi, who is one of the accused in the IRCTC scam, along with his father (Lalu) and mother (Rabri Devi).

“Let me make it clear for once and all: Neither I will ever join hands with the BJP nor with Nitish, who has stabbed us after hijacking the mandate of 2015. I can, however, enter into an alliance with Pappu Yadav (the expelled former RJD MP) and Kanhaiya Kumar (the ex-JNU student leader), who are welcome to join the Mahagatbandhan and fight against the BJP-led NDA,” averred Tejashwi.