PK came with ‘Tejashwi CM, Nitish PM’ formula: Rabri

A day after former Chief Minister Rabri Devi claimed that Nitish’s key aide Prashant Kishor met her five times in 2018 with a ‘merger plan’, she spilled more beans on Saturday. “Prashant also suggested that once the RJD and the JD (U) merged, Tejashwi should be projected as the chief ministerial candidate for 2020 Assembly polls. But before that, Nitish should be declared the prime ministerial candidate of the merged outfit for the 2019 parliamentary elections,” revealed Rabri here on Saturday.

While Prashant Kishor did not deny meeting Lalu or Rabri, he, on Saturday, suggested a joint media interaction with Lalu to clear the air.

At the same time, the poll strategist slammed Lalu through his tweet in which he wrote: “Those convicted or facing charges of abuse of public office and misappropriation of funds are claiming to be custodians of truth.”

Within hours, the RJD hit back at Prashant and warned him that if it revealed the truth about him, his reputation would be severely tarnished.

The war of words, in fact, started on Friday when Rabri claimed that PK, as Prashant is fondly known, came to her residence (10, Circular Road) five times, including twice at Tejashwi’s residence (5, Desh Ratna Marg). “PK came with a proposal that the two parties - JD (U) and RJD - should merge and the new outfit should declare its prime ministerial candidate,” averred Rabri, in an oblique reference to Nitish’s nursing ambition for country’s top executive post.

“All my security guards and other staff have been witness to PK’s visit. However, I asked PK to leave my residence as I had lost trust in Nitish, after he dumped Grand Alliance in July 2017,” said Rabri.

RETURN JOURNEY

Earlier this week, Lalu, in his latest book ‘From Goplaganj to Raisina’, had claimed that Nitish, through his emissary PK, had expressed his desire to return to Grand Alliance barely six months after he formed his Government with the help of BJP-led NDA.

On Saturday, however, PK challenged Lalu to hold joint media session to unravel the truth. “Lalu Prasad Yadav ji, Let’s have a joint media interaction. Everyone will know the truth about the conversation between me and him, and the truth of who offered what?” said Prashant.

“When PK knows that Lalu ji is in judicial custody and can’t speak to media, he (PK) has come up with an absurd theory of holding joint media interaction along with Lalu ji,” a furious Shivanand Tiwary, former Rajya Sabha member shot back.

The RJD too hit back at Prashant through a tweet in Hindi which said, “… our party chief has more experience than your age. There are so many politicians like you who have come and gone. You should go to the Modi-Nitish duo to sell stories….if we reveal the truth about you, your reputation will be damaged.”