The Janata Dal(United) on Tuesday gave its alliance partner in Bihar, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, three to four days to dispel corruption allegations against Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Hindustan Times reported.
“Those facing corruption charges should face the public and come clean on the corruption charges,” said Neeraj Kumar, spokesperson for the JD(U). “We are confident it will happen.”
Kumar made the statement after a party meeting on Tuesday, reported NDTV.
However, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not denounce the raids against Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family at Tuesday’s meeting. Kumar had met hundreds of delegates from the JD(U), including parliamentarians and lawmakers, to discuss ways to handle the series of corruption cases against the Yadav family.
“We know how to respect coalition dharma,” the spokesperson said. “...But we do hope the charges will be countered among the public.”
Another JD(U) leader, Ramai Ram, said: “Nitish Kumar has put the ball in RJD’s court.”
Tejashwi Yadav will not resign as the deputy chief minister
At a legislators’ meeting led by Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday, the RJD had made it clear that Tejashwi Yadav will not step down from his post despite the corruption charges filed against him by the CBI.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party had offered to provide outside support to the Nitish Kumar government if the state’s grand alliance is dissolved.
The Congress, JD(U) and RJD alliance is in power in Bihar. While the RJD has 80 MLAs in the alliance, JD(U) has 71 and Congress, 27. Nitish Kumar needs the support of 122 MLAs to continue as the chief minister of Bihar.
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