Tejashwi Yadav dubs Nitish Kumar's resignation as pre-planned

Tejashwi Yadav announced that the RJD, Congress and all those who are opposing BJP-RSS and Nitish Kumar will protest, hold dharnas and burn effigies, against the present situation.

Patna: Tagging Nitish Kumar's resignation and the developments following it as pre-planned, Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday said that they have requested Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi to stall the swearing-in ceremony and give the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) a chance to prove majority on the floor.

"Each development seemed planned. It was all pre-decided. Why was everything done in such rush? His resignation, followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backing him, and staking claim to form the government within hours of resignation, proves it," Tejashwi said, after meeting the Governor.

Reiterating his party's stand, Tejashwi said, he was only an excuse for Nitish to join hands with the BJP.

"Tejashwi ek bahaana tha, case, investigation ek bahana tha, inko (Nitish) BJP ke sath jana tha," Tejashwi told ANI.

Tejashwi further said that they did not object Nitish's support for NDA in the Presidential election, just to save the grand alliance.

"In spite of their vote in the Presidential election (in favour of President Ram Nath Kovind), we did not say anything as we wanted the grand alliance to continue," he said.

While reacting to the accusations against him in a corruption case, the RJD leader said that Nitish is himself accused of murder, under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

"On what ground is he questioning us. He himself is tainted, an accused under section 302," he said.

"With what face will he take the oath? There is a murder case filed against him," he added.

Tejashwi further announced that the RJD, Congress and all those who are opposing BJP-RSS and Nitish Kumar will protest, hold dharnas and burn effigies, against the present situation.

Tejashwi maintained his party's stand to let them prove their majority on the floor, and an invitation for the same, as they are the state's single largest party.

However, there is no announcement regarding any change in the time of the oath-taking ceremony of Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi as Bihar Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister respectively, which is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. today.