Journalism of Courage
It was Lalu Prasad’s terse statement that he had made Nitish Kumar the chief minister and that he has to decide if he cannot run the Grand Alliance government after the RJD legislature party meet on Wednesday that set the agenda of the JD(U) legislature party meet. The RJD chief had sensed Nitish’s script as the two leaders kept talking until Tuesday. Lalu deferred his Ranchi trip and stayed back to know Nitish’s reaction.
“There had been a setting with the BJP. When someone asked him (Nitish) if he could go with BJP, he did not say no. It clearly suggests BJP setting. The PM’s congratulatory tweet followed to prove my point,’’ said Lalu as he carried papers of an old pending case against Nitish. “I knew about this case for long but had kept quiet. How can he ask for Tejashwi’s resignation when he faces such a serious case as murder that entails life imprisonment and capital sentence?” Click here for Nitish Kumar swearing-in LIVE updates
Lalu said that Nitish had mentioned the 1991 case in his MLC election affidavit. “He is an accused under 302 of IPC. How did he become chief minister?” Lalu said that the case has been pending before the Patna High Court and accused Nitish of using his influence to seek a stay order in 2009.
Lalu said that RJD had never favoured President’s rule or mid-term poll. “Nitish Kumar must not try to force the President’s rule. If he is not willing to rule Bihar, let there be new person to do so.’’ Lalu added that his fight against communal forces will continue with full force.
He said that he had asked Nitish to discuss things. “But he neither asked me about Tejashwi’s resignation, nor did he tell Tejashwi to do so. He only talked about explaining a few things before public. But there are some fine legal points which can be made only before the court or to investigating agency,’’ he said. “Do you expect Congress to support BJP?” Lalu shot back when asked if he enjoyed the party’s support.
Sources said that the RJD will try to rebuild its Dalit base, especially after supporting Meira Kumar’s candidature for the President’s post and his offer to Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati to send her to Rajya Sabha from Bihar. RJD is waiting for rumblings within the National Democratic Alliance after Nitish returns to the fold. “We do not think RLSP (Rashtriya Lok Samata Party ) leader Upendra Kushwaha can share same space Nitish. The same can be said about former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi,’’ an RJD leader said.
