Did Lalu Yadav refer to Nitish Kumar as new "alliance partner" of BJP?

NEW DELHI: Slamming the BJP following Income Tax raids on companies and people associated with him in a series of tweets, RJD President on Tuesday congratulated the saffron party on "new alliance partner". In a tweet that gave rise to speculations that there may be a split in his alliance with Nitish Kumar's JDU, Lalu said, "Congratulations to BJP on new alliance partners. Lalu is not going to bend. Till my last breath, I will continue fighting against fascist forces." Though in his next tweet he maintained his alliance with Nitish Kumar is unbreakable. "The alliance is unbreakable. Parties with same ideology will be associated with it. I am not afraid of the BJP's and supporters of its government," the RJD chief said. RJD national spokesperson Manoj Jha clarified Prasad's "new alliance" jibe at the BJP by claiming that the NDA government was "using" the IT department, CBI and other central agencies as its "alliance partners" against its adversaries, including the RJD chief. The Income Tax department on Tuesday conducted raids and surveys on at least 22 locations in Delhi and adjoining areas on charges of alleged benami deals worth Rs 1,000 crore linked to Lalu Prasad and others. Lalu alleged the BJP and RSS are trying to pressurise him, knowing that he will expose their 'lies, loot and jumlas.' "BJP does not have guts to suppress the voice of Lalu. If you press Lalu's voice, then millions of Lalus will emerge across the country. I am not afraid of empty threats," he said. "The support and blessings of the poor and the are with me. Lalu has not lost, neither is he tired. I have always fought and won like an undefeated warrior," Lalu tweeted. Challenging the Centre to reveal the names of places where raids were conducted, the former Bihar chief minister said, "At least tell which 22 places were raided, you illiterates. Lalu is not scared of BJP-backed media and government puppets." The BJP had last week accused Prasad, his daughter Misa Bharti and his two sons, of being involved in corrupt land deals worth over Rs 1,000 crore, and asked the central government to probe one such transaction in Delhi. (with inputs from PTI)