In an unexpected turn of events, Bihar Assembly Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary paid a visit to the residence of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday. The meeting’s purpose remains undisclosed, adding an air of uncertainty in political circles.
Choudhary, accompanied by Lalu’s son and State Environment Minister Tej Pratap Yadav, left the official residence of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi without engaging with the media. The meeting, lasting approximately 30-40 minutes, occurred at a time when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s next move is uncertain after reassuming the JD(U) president’s post in New Delhi last Friday.
This visit by the Speaker, a rare occurrence, coincides with the resignation of Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Lalan Singh, from the Janata Dal (United) president’s post during the national executive committee meeting on December 29.
Nitish Kumar, now leading the party for the third time, has faced a tumultuous political journey, including breaking ties with NDA in 2013, forming alliances, and resigning multiple times.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh asserted that Lalu’s pressure on Nitish to step down might lead to Tejashwi Yadav becoming the new Chief Minister. He claimed Nitish might not hold the post for long, falling into Lalu’s alleged trap.
Reacting to Singh’s claim, RJD MP Manoj Jha dismissed any differences between Nitish and Tejashwi, affirming the stability of the grand alliance government.