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RJD says Tejashwi will not resign, JDU to meet today

In a press statement issued by the party following the meet, the RJD legislators thanked former CM Rabri Devi.

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Sending out a strong message to allies as well as opponents, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday made it clear that Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, younger son of party president Lalu Yadav, will not step down despite mounting political pressure after his name figured as an accused in a corruption case lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on July 5.

At an all "important" meeting of RJD legislators under the presidentship of Lalu on Monday, the first after Tejashwi's name figured in the CBI land-for-hotel FIR, the lawmakers were of the opinion that the Yadav scion should not step down at any cost. "He has successfully lead the MLAs and there is no reason for him to step down," an RJD leader present at the meeting said.

In a press statement issued by the party following the meet, the RJD legislators thanked former CM Rabri Devi.

She is also a co-accused in the said FIR, for guiding them as the leader of RJD's legislature party and praised the work of Lalu's elder son and Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav, against whom allegations of Benami deals have been made by senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

With RJD putting to rest all speculations related to Tejashwi's resignation, the BJP has dared Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to dismiss Tejashwi. "Given his zero tolerance policy towards corruption and statements when he said that tainted ministers cannot be a part of his cabinet, will Nitish show the courage to dismiss Tejashwi?" Modi questioned.

The RJD, with 80 MLAs is the elder brother in Bihar's Mahagathbandhan, in which the Janata Dal United JD(U) has 71 MLAs while the Congress has 27. All three party leaders said there is no immediate threat to the grand alliance government in Bihar.

However, RJD coming out in support of Tejashwi, a day before the JD(U) has called a meeting of its partymen on Tuesday, is seen as a part of its strategy to send clear signals to the ally. It was believed that the JD(U) may mount pressure on Tejashwi to step down and ask any other senior minister such as Abdul Bari Siddiqui to take his place.

The RJD claimed the both Nitish and Lalu had talked over the matter on Sunday, though the JD(U) spokesperons or other leaders did not confirm it.

While Nitish "extended his silence" by calling off his weekly Lok Samvad owing to "fever", as a result postponing his regular interaction with reporters, former JD-U President Sharad Yadav told reporters that the RJD chief was being "victimised" as the BJP wanted to break the united Opposition but it won't be successful in its attempt. He is the first senior JD-U leader to come out in RJD's support

Meanwhile, Nitish will also skip Tuesday's Opposition meeting to be held to discuss a Vice-Presidential candidate in Delhi because of the party's meeting in Patna and his health issues, a JD-U leader said.

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