Tejashwi Yadav should resign
"Why should I resign?" When Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav threw this question at the media persons in Patna, he wasn't looking for any guidance. He raised this question - a loaded statement, full of defiance and contempt - knowing that it will only raise eyebrows. Clearly, the young politician and Lalu Prasad's heir is not willing to listen or give an explanation - something his alliance partner JD(U) had been constantly asking for.
The Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance, in which Tejashwi holds the number two position, is tottering ever since CBI raided the residence of the RJD's first family in Patna on July 7. In an FIR lodged prior to the raid, the CBI has accused Lalu of rigging a tender process in 2005 to award the sublease of two railway hotels in Ranchi and Puri to his favoured hoteliers in exchange for three acres of prime land in Patna routed through a benami company, when he was the railway minister.
The FIRs, filed under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and other sections the Prevention of Corruption Act, names Lalu, his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi as the accused, besides others. Though Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar hasn't commented on this issue in the public domain, what he expects from his deputy is unmistakably clear.
A bevy of JD(U) spokesmen have already made Nitish's position clear that he cannot compromise on his "zero tolerance" corruption policy. Team Nitish has insisted on their commitment to holding the Grand Alliance together but not by turning a blind eye to corruption. Though on record, Nitish's JD(U) has only asked Tejashwi to give explanation to the charges levelled against him, it's seen as a thinly-veiled demand for the deputy CM's resignation.
So what should Tejashwi do? Well, if the first-time legislator is looking for inspiration or example, he need not look any further than his boss in the government, Nitish Kumar - someone who is known to own responsibilities all through his illustrious career.
"There are only two railway ministers who have resigned taking moral responsibility of train accidents. The first one was Lal Bahadur Shastri, who resigned taking moral responsibility of the Ariyalur train accident in November 1956. Nitish was only the second - and the last one since - who quit the post after the Gaisal train disaster in August 1999. Why can't the RJD see who it is dealing with?" said a JD(U) spokesperson.
Nitish also resigned as Bihar CM in May 2014 after his party's dismal show in the Lok Sabha polls. His resignation surprised everyone, as the Lok Sabha election result had no direct bearing on his government. Also, it was a dangerous decision, which could have derailed his entire political career - but Nitish did what he thought was the right thing to do.
The jarring irony is that, Tejashwi Yadav - though he had been swearing by the Nitish governance model in the past - is acting more like his father when faced with a challenge. Tajashwi's strategy is clear. He will hold on to the post while simultaneously playing victim to the people of Bihar. The idea is to "expose BJP's conspiracy" behind the CBI raid.
"Had Tejashwi resigned the day CBI raided his house, he would have instantly qualified as an innocent victim. But, clinging to his chair won't help. The longer he remains, the bigger would be the damage," said a senior JD(U) leader.
Another JD(U) leader offers an interesting analogy. "Tejashwi had been a cricketer in the past. So he can remember - and may connect better - with what Jawagal Srinath did in the Delhi test in 1999. With a ball in his hand, Srinath could have snared either of the last two Pakistan batsmen struggling at the crease. But, the quick bowler sprayed all six deliveries wide outside off, seeking not to take a wicket. The idea was to let teammate Anil Kumble, who was to bowl the next over, get a wicket-taking opportunity and create history. As expected, Kumble took his 10th wicket of the inning in the next over and became only the second bowler in the history of cricket to do achieve the feat." The ball is in Tejashwi's court now. And he remembers that the Grand Alliance under Nitish Kumar is wearing Kumble's hat.
(Courtesy of Mail Today.)