Nitish ultimatum puts pressure on Tejaswi

Congress swings into action to save alliance

As Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar mounted pressure on his deputy and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav to quit, the Congress, which is the third alliance partner in the state government, moved in swiftly for some damage control.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi used the opportunity to call Mr Kumar on Wednesday morning to thank him for his support to Opposition vice-presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi.

Congress sources said that there was no threat to the “mahagathbandhan” government in Bihar as of now as Mr Kumar’s pressure on the Yadavs is a mere stand taken to protect his clean image.

JD(U) spokesperson K.C. Tyagi told this newspaper: “It is Nitish Kumar’s image which places him on a pedestal almost similar to that as Prime Minister Narendra Modi. If we dilute that image, then the BJP will have its own way in Bihar also. So we will not let the Chief Minister’s image suffer.”

On Tuesday, Mr Kumar had virtually put the RJD on notice asking the Yadavs to explain their stance on the charges against them within four days.

The JD(U) even wanted Mr Tejaswi to step down. The RJD, which has 80 legislators in the Assembly, is adamant that Mr Tejaswi will not resign.

Sources said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is likely to meet Mr Kumar on July 22 or 23.

Mr Rahul Gandhi had sought a meeting with Mr Kumar when he had called him on Tuesday night after the 18-party conglomerate chose Gopalkrishna Gandhi as its V-P candidate.

The JD(U)’s support for the V-P candidate was significant as the Bihar Chief Minister had broken ranks and supported the NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

The JD(U) has, however, since then maintained that the support for Mr Kovind was a one-time affair and could not be seen as a precedent for things to come.