Bihar crisis: Tejashwi skips official event with Nitish

Patna, July 15 (IANS) Utter confusion is prevailing in the political circles of Bihar. While the leaders from both the JD-U and RJD claim that the state's ruling Grand Alliance is intact, the legislators and spokespersons of the two parties continue to attack each other publicly.

The apparent discord between the Janata Dal-United (JU-U) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), notwithstanding the occasional bonhomie exhibited by both sides, points to the fact that the Grand Alliance is in the midst of a serious crisis.

The crisis became more pronounced on Saturday when Lalu Prasad's younger son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav chose to skip an official function with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The name plaque of the Deputy Chief Minister had to be first covered with a piece of cloth and then removed altogether from the dais.

According to officials, Tejashwi Yadav's name plaque was earlier kept on the table along with that of Nitish Kumar at the official programme to mark "Vishwa Yuva Kaushal Divas" at the local Gyan Bhawan. But it was finally removed before the programme began.

Tejashwi Yadav's name was also mentioned in the invitation for the function.

However, those keenly watching the goings-on expect the culmination of this crisis only after the presidential election early next week.

A day after RJD chief Lalu Prasad said Tejashwi Yadav would not resign, JD-U spokesperson Sanjay Singh said he should read the writing on the wall. "Probity in public life is a must," he said.

A senior RJD legislator Shrinarayan Yadav said the JD-U leaders were speaking the language of the BJP, and went on to add: "If JD-U wants to go with BJP, it is free to do so."

Meanwhile, ahead of the presidential poll on Monday, all the 71 JD-U legislators are scheduled to attend a Nitish Kumar-chaired meeting at his official residence on Sunday. This meeting has assumed extra significance in the backdrop of the ongoing crisis in the Grand Alliance.

Bihar has been in the grip of a political crisis over the demand for the resignation of Tejashwi Yadav after the CBI registered a case against him in a benami property case and also raided his premises last week.

JD-U General Secretary Shayam Razak, considered close to the Chief Minister, on Saturday said his party's stand was very clear that it would not compromise on corruption.

"JD-U will not go back on its own stand against corruption. Lalu Prasad has become old," he said in a clear reference to the RJD chief declaring that his younger son Tejashwi Yadav would not resign and that the "Mahagathbandhan is intact".

The Congress party is the third constituent of the ruling Grand Alliance.