RJD boss lalu Prasad on Tuesday called on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in bid to iron out the reported differences in the ruling Mahagathbandhan. After the in-camera meeting, lalu said there was no problem and no difference in the ruling alliance and it was rock-like strong and durable.
The RJD supremo also favoured Nitish’s stand that a Mahagathbandhan should be stitched on national level on the lines of Bihar in order to stop BJP. He also favoured that the Congress being the national party should take initiative for a grand alliance of different non-NDA parties.
The meeting of the two stalwarts took place in the backdrop of the allegation of a scandal involving lalu family. This alleged scam is related to the supply of earth to the Sanjay Gandhi Botanical Garden from an under construction shopping mall of which lalu’s sons Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Health and Forest Minister Tej Pratap Yadav and his daughter Chanda Yadav are directors.
BJP leader and former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar alleged that the earth dug up from the under construction mall had been sold to the zoo and was dumped in that campus during the night hours to escape public glare. The contract for this mall has been given to a construction company owned by RJD MlA Abu Dojana. Modi said the earth has been sold to the zoo for Rs 90 lakh without any tender. The zoo comes under the Forest and Environment department of which Tej Pratap is the Minister. The earth has been purchased by the zoo for laying a pathway.
“Can a Minister sell his own earth to his own departmentIJ Why no tender was issued and purchase was made on the basis of only quotationIJ” asked Modi. He also alleged that the earth was transported to the zoo during night time which was illegal as no construction and transportation work can be done during night in any zoo.
Trashing the allegation, lalu said he was ready for any inquiry and would love to explain his position. CM Nitish Kumar reportedly said if such things happened it was the duty of the forest and environment department to see it.