BJP wants Nitish to snap ties with Lalu, RJD to fight back

The BJP on Friday asked Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to end his alliance with RJD after an early morning CBI raid on Lalu Prasad’s home and 11 other places in yet another corruption case.

The RJD in turn accused the Modi government of trying to browbeat the opposition and framing Prasad.

“The Centre is trying to scare us, but I assure you we will not be cowed down by such actions. We will fight it out at the legal and political level and emerge victorious,” RJD spokesperson Manoj Jha said.

He said Friday would go down as one of the darkest days in history. “Suddenly these agencies have become new alliance partners for BJP and they are using it,” Jha said. The RJD is a senior partner in the ruling coalition led by Kumar’s JD (U). The Congress is the third ally.

“The (CBI) action being taken is outside the party purview, so I would not like to comment on it... But yes, it is high time Nitish Kumar severs ties with RJD,” BJP’s Bihar president Nityanand Rai said. Kumar’s JD (U) used to be part of the BJP-led NDA before he walked out in 2013 after Narendra Modi was named the prime ministerial candidate.

Union minister Giriraj Singh asked Kumar to break his silence and clear his stand on his alliance with RJD. Kumar, who talks of good governance and zero tolerance towards crime, cannot remain a mute spectator anymore, he said.

Meanwhile, Union minister Venkaiah Naidu said the government and BJP have no role in the raids. He said the CBI was doing its duty and acting in accordance with the mandate given to it by law. “What is political vendetta? Where is BJP in this? I am not able to understand. Do you mean to say that anybody against whom any charge is there, it should not be inquired into at all?” Naidu asked.

“CBI is doing its duty and it is allowed to do so. Earlier it was not allowed... after our government came there is no interference and that is why CBI is free and acting as per the mandate given to it...,” he said.

MEANWHILE, UNION MINISTER VENKAIAH NAIDU SAID THE GOVERNMENT AND BJP HAVE NO ROLE IN THE RAIDS