NEW DELHI: Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday alleged that Nitish Kumar was stepping down as Bihar Chief Minister under “pressure” from within his own party, claiming some colleagues had been “intimidated or allured” by ally BJP.The remarks came a day after Kumar was sworn in as a Rajya Sabha MP and as his belongings were being moved from the CM’s residence to a government bungalow nearby. Speaking to reporters at an RJD event, Yadav said, “I wager that the deal for removing Nitish Kumar had been struck by some bigwigs in the JD(U) long back. It had not been made public because it would have backfired during the assembly polls.”“It is rubbish to say that Nitish Kumar, who does not enjoy sound physical and mental health, was stepping down out of his own wish. Just recall the visuals from Delhi. The way he was stopped by (JDU working president) Sanjay Jha from interacting with the media in the national capital is proof of how much insult and pressure the veteran leader is putting up with,” he added, as quoted by PTI.Yadav also claimed that some JD(U) leaders behind the developments were either influenced by the BJP or were under pressure from central agencies like the ED and the CBI.While no JD(U) leader officially responded, party sources admitted there were misgivings among cadres over the role of Sanjay Jha and other close aides of Kumar. They said that during Kumar’s visit to the party office in Delhi, many workers insisted that even if he stepped down, the chief minister’s post should not be given to the BJP.The sources added that Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, is seen by some as a capable young leader who could step into his father’s shoes, though Kumar himself is unlikely to push for it. They also said the party should at least negotiate for a better share in power, including key posts currently held by the BJP.They further accused the BJP of acting with “swagger,” pointing to the quick nomination of Harivansh Narayan Singh to the Rajya Sabha soon after JD(U) denied him another term.BJP leaders in the state remained tight-lipped, particularly after the abrupt cancellation of a scheduled NDA meeting in Delhi. State BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said, “All things will be sorted out amicably among the NDA partners in due course.”
