Bihar: BJP offers outside support to JDU if CM Nitish removes his deputy Tejashwi

Nityanand said BJP is ready to lend outside support to JDU in case Grand Alliance breaks apart. Photo: PTI (File)

PATNA: The BJP has offered outside support to JDU in Bihar if Chief Minister Nitish Kumar suspends his deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in wake of his name appearing in the CBI FIR in the land-for-hotel case. "When RJD has made it clear that Tejashwi Yadav will not resign then Nitish Kumar must take stand and suspend him from his post," Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai said. He said BJP is ready to lend outside support to JDU in case Grand Alliance breaks apart. "If such a situation arises and central leadership decides then we would lend outside support to Nitish Kumar," Rai said. Rai's statement came hours after RJD rejected the demand for resignation of Tejashwi over the CBI raids. Party legislator Mundrika Prasad Yadav said, "There is no question of his resignation". In the RJD Legislature Party's meeting, Tejashwi's work as its leader in the Assembly was praised, senior minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui told reporters after the meeting. Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, his minister brother Tej Pratap Yadav were present in the meeting along with legislators and other senior leaders of the party. JDU leader Sharad Yadav also defended Lalu and his family over recent raids carried out by CBI at 12 locations. Speaking to news agency ANI, Yadav said “the raids are an attempt to stall the progress of Mahagathbandhan alliance. RJD and JDU are in alliance in Bihar.” With 80 MLAs, the RJD is the biggest constituent of the Grand Alliance with 71 of the JD(U) and 27 of the Congress. The BJP led NDA has 58 members in the 243-member state Assembly. (With inputs from agencies)