CBI files case against Lalu in IRCTC tender case: Will Nitish snap ties with RJD in Bihar?

Patna: With the CBI filing a case against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashvi in connection with the alleged irregularities in the railways tender allotment case, pressure has now increased on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to review his party's ties with RJD.

Importantly, the Chief Minister has called a meting of his top officials in Rajgir to deliberate on the current political situation. 

According to reports, State Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and DGP are among those who have been summoned by the Chief Minister for the meeting.

Within hours of the CBI action, the demand for sacking Tejaswi Yadav - a minister in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet – has come from the main opposition party, BJP.

Hitting out at the Bihar CM, BJP's Giriraj Singh stated that Nitish Kumar cannot remain a mute spectator now. He will have to speak out and state his stand clearly. “Now, Nitish Kumar has to decide if he wants to stay with Lalu Prasad, who is already a convict in corruption case,” he added.

Meanwhile, his BJP colleague Sushil Kumar Modi too urged Nitish Kumar to break his silence and sack Tejashwi Yadav as deputy CM. 

Earlier also, Sushil Modi had demanded sacking of Lalu Prasad's minister sons - Tejashwi and Tej Pratap - from Bihar government after the Income Tax Department charged six family members of the RJD chief under anti-benami assets Act in connection with its probe into alleged land deals worth Rs 1,000 crore.

In the present context, the most pertinent question is whether the Bihar CM would review his party 'Janata Dal (United's) ties with RJD in the wake of developments and corruption allegations levelled against Lalu Yadav and his family members.

Since one of the persons named in the FIR is none other than Lalu’s son Tejaswi Yadav, the opposition will continue to make pressure on Nitish Kumar for immediate action against him.

However, the larger question now is: will the CBI raids rupture ties between Nitish and Lalu leading to the disintegration of the Bihar 'Mahagathbandhan'. 

There were earlier reports of Nitish mulling to end ties with Lalu Prasad Yadav in the wake of serious corruption charges against him and his family members.

Nitish Kumar's decision to go against the decision of 17 opposition parties and support NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind was also met with criticism and seen in that context.

The political muck surrounding the RJD chief and his family after a series of raids by the Enforcement Directorate, the I-T Department and now CBI is now damaging the 'corruption-free' tag of Bihar Chief Minister.

Probably BJP leader Sushil Modi saw signs of widening cracks inn the Bihar grand alliance which is why he said that he will not be surprised if the 'Mahagatbandhan' collapses.

Both Nitish and Lalu had been bitter political opponents for over two decades but came together in 2015 during the Bihar assembly polls and trounced BJP. 

Nitish was then accused by the Opposition of showing rank opportunism for tying up with Lalu, one of the rare political leaders convicted by a court of law in a corruption case.

The coalition government began on a good note but a slew of allegations and CBI raids on the Lalu family spoiled the show soon. Lalu is facing four separate trials in fodder scam cases in which regular hearing is taking place since the Supreme Court ordered in May this year that the trials must be completed within nine months.

Recently, the Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate have carried out a series of raids at properties allegedly belonging to Lalu’s family members through benami transactions. 

Lalu’s daughter Misa Bharti and her husband are also under lens. 

Lalu’s son and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav is accused of holding a bungalow in Delhi’s New Friends Colony as a benami property. Tejashwi’s brother Tej Pratap allegedly held control of a prime property and petrol pump in Patna, licence for which was recently cancelled by a public sector oil marketing firm.