CBI’s FIR has nothing against Tejaswi Yadav

Amidst the political slug-fest in Bihar, not much attention has been paid to the FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Tejaswi Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar. While the FIR undoubtedly names the 28-year old son of RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav as one of the accused, the rest of the FIR does not mention him at all and is totally silent on his role in either the purchase of a plot of a land or in the decision of IRCTC to lease Railway hotels to a private business house.

Pressure, however, has been mounting on him to resign. Both Rashtriya Janata Dal as well as Tejaswi Yadav have so far refused to oblige. But according to reports from Patna, they are being advised to relent and provide a face-saver to Nitish Kumar and the JD(U), which have publicly called upon RJD and Tejaswi Yadav to ‘come clean’ and clear the air about corruption charges.

The 28-year old has hit back by pointing out that he was not even 18 when the alleged deal had taken place. And for good measure, he pointed out in a tweet that even Union Minister Uma Bharti is facing a criminal trial in the Babri demolition case while BJP national president Amit Shah had been to prison before being acquitted.

Observers in Patna say that while CBI’s FIR against Tejaswi Yadav defies both law and reason, he might do well to resign till the dust settles down. He is also being advised to move the court for quashing the case against him, which is unlikely to pass judicial scrutiny. He could then be re-inducted into the cabinet.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on the other hand is said to be smarting at a gloating BJP daring him to take action against his allegedly ‘tainted’ colleague. The BJP appears convinced that it is a matter of time before the grand alliance between JD(U) and the RJD-Congress collapses.

However, leaders within JD(U) are also learnt to have warned the chief minister against taking any hasty action. The case and the raids conducted by the CBI, they reportedly claimed, had not made much of a dent in Lalu Prasad Yadav’s social base. And any precipitate action by Nitish Kumar, specially before the August 27 rally in Patna by the opposition may not go down well with the constituents.

There is also intense speculation that the RJD may temporarily withdraw from the Government and continue to support Nitish Kumar from outside.