Tejashwi Yadav calls talk about political realignment in Bihar imaginary

The talk of the realignment gained currency after Yadav on May 11 met chief minister Nitish Kumar over the delay in an all-party meeting to push for a state-wide caste census

PATNA: Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav has dismissed the possibility of a political realignment in Bihar as imaginary amid speculation over the growing proximity between his Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and ruling Janata Dal ( United) or JD (U) over caste census.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav. (ANI)

“Last year, I met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the caste census. It was mine and not chief minister Nitish Kumar’s initiative. So, was I keen to strike an alliance with the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] or what?” Yadav asked.

The talk of the realignment gained currency after Yadav on May 11 met Kumar over the delay in an all-party meeting to push for a state-wide caste census. The meeting is now being held on June 1 and the BJP will also attend it. The RJD and JD (U) tied up before the 2015 assembly polls and formed the government. The government fell after JD (U) allied with BJP again in 2017.

Yadav referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation’s questioning of his mother Rabri Devi, father Lalu Prasad, and sister Misa Bharti related to an alleged land for job scam and said such raids are not the first and would not be the last. “As long misuse of agencies will continue, such raids will happen. I have seen raids from my childhood.”

He said Prasad has been authorised to take a call on selecting the Rajya Sabha nominees and an announcement in this regard will be made on Friday.