happened in 2017: Nitish on CBI, ED action

Patna (PTI): Bihar

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday hinted that he agreed with the contention of ally Rashatriya Janata Dal (RJD) that the recent crackdown on its president Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members by the CBI and ED was “politically motivated”. This was in contrast to the stand he took in 2017, when he had wanted the ally to come clean on charges of corruption.

The CM and JD(U) leader also rubbished speculations that he was maintaining an eloquent silence on the issue because of anxieties about tarnishing his own image for probity by aligning with “tainted” politicians and could even be thinking of breaking away with the “Mahagathbandhan”, which besides RJD, also includes Congress and the Left.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was approached with queries by journalists who wanted to know about his views on the questioning of Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi by CBI earlier this week, followed by raids conducted on a number of premises, including houses of his three daughters and a daughter in law by ED on Friday and a fresh summons issued by the CBI to younger son and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav.