Lalu's son won't resign as Bihar Deputy CM: RJD over raids
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLAs today said that party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's son Tejashwi Yadav will not resign as the Bihar Deputy Chief Minister over the CBI raids on Yadav family's properties. Notably, after an FIR was registered against Tejashwi Yadav for acquiring Benami property, the BJP has been demanding to sack him from the Cabinet.
One of the many issues on agenda in the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislators meet was to counter BJP's call to sack Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav from the cabinet. Several legislators today spoke in support of Tejashwi Yadav in light of the clamour caused by CBI raids on Lalu Yadav, family's residences and FIR against Tejashwi for acquiring benami properties. Speaking to India Today, senior party MLA Arun Yadav said that Tejashwi should continue as Deputy CM and even projected him as the next Chief Minister of Bihar."There is no need for Tejashwi Yadav to resign. He is the next CM of Bihar. CBI raids have been conducted to demoralise Lalu Yadav... manner in which freedom fighters gave a call of Quit Indian to Britishers, similarly we are also giving a call to PM Modi to quit India", said Arun Yadav.Another legislator, Lalit Yadav also extended his support for Tejashwi Yadav and appealed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to not sack the Deputy CM.He added that Nitish Kumar should not act in haste and wait till the Deputy CM is chargesheeted. He asked, "Why is Uma Bharti continuing in PM Modi's cabinet despite being chargesheeted in the Ayodhya case. We want Nitish Kumar not to sack Tejashwi Yadav".Bihar Finance Minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui said that Tejashwi was only praised for his work in the party meet today. He added, "He is the leader of the legislature party and there is no instability in the government."  CBI AFTER LALU CLAN Last week, CBI raided properties and firms belonging to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family at 12 location across Patna, Delhi and Gurgaon among other places in connection to a case linked to a hotel maintenance contract awarded to the RJD chief in 2006. That was the year when Lalu Yadav was the railways minister. The CBI has registered a case against Lalu Yadav, wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav. The central agency has also booked former MD of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and directors of private firms along with Lalu who is accused of tender irregularities.The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday, July 8 searched farms of Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti in Delhi.The raids were conducted as part of probe into allegations of money laundering against Bharti and her husband Shailesh. Also read: Nitish Kumar cancels today's Lok Samvad. Is he trying to avoid Tejashwi Yadav? 