The ruling NDA, for which trouble in the RJD camp is always good news, too seemed impatient with “beating around the bush” by Tej Pratap and suspected that the maverick leader might backtrack and declare that it was all a hoax.
Tej Pratap had caused a flutter late Monday night, hours after being accused of assault at a crowded iftar party by an RJD footsoldier.
Tejashwi retained his patience when he was asked about the allegation leveled against his older sibling by Ramraj Yadav, who heads the city unit of RJD’s youth wing.
“Hum is maamle ko dikhwa lenge”, (we will have the matter looked into) was the measured response of the de facto leader, even though RJD cadres seem bewildered at the contention of Ramraj that he was beaten up at a crowded event and nobody had taken note.
They, however, are of the view that Tej Pratap, known for his propensity to tread on people’s toes, could have rubbed Ramraj the wrong way and the latter might have come up with a sensational fabrication to show a bit of nuisance value.
Tejashwi, known for a composure that belies his young age, however, snapped when pressed to comment on the tweet of his elder brother who has said he will hand over his resignation to Prasad, who is serving sentences in fodder scam cases.
“We don’t own an individual and cannot be expected to say on tweets or statements unless these are made on a party forum,” said Tejashwi with vexation writ large on his face.
Meanwhile, state minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Nabin said it was high time Tej Pratap “stopped beating about the bush” and told the truth about his own sidelining in the party founded by his father.
“It is known to all that Tej Pratap has been sidelined by his younger brother. It is fine if he wants to quit. But he must act if he still wants to be taken seriously. Bluster (‘geedar bhabki’) won’t do,” said Nabin.
Abhishek Jha, the spokesperson of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), said the people of Bihar must beware of the opposition party’s “melodrama”.
“There seems to be no end to this melodrama. We never know, Tej Pratap may get up tomorrow morning and inform the world that he was playing a prank. RJD is a party that does not deserve to be taken seriously by the people,” Jha said.
