Lalu team Shoots Off 'Nitish Kumar is no Saint, Bihar Alliance Lurches

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 The fortune of the alliance between Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav in Bihar is likely to be decided today as both leaders hold separate meetings with their legislators on the same agenda: whether Lalu Yadav's son, Tejashwi, should quit as Deputy Chief Minister because of corruption charges. 

 Nitish Kumar, who is Chief Minister, has suggested that's essential. "I have known Nitish for 40 years, he is no saint," retaliated Shivanand Tiwari today, a senior member of Lalu Yadav's party, making it clear that the confrontation between the two sides will get noisier. 

 On Friday, the Bihar Assembly starts its new session. Nitish Kumar, indebted in part to his "Sushasan Babu" (Governance Sir) image for his three consecutive terms, is reluctant to allow the opposition the opportunity to accuse him of being permissive of corruption. 

 "With folded hands, we requested Nitish Kumar to have a dialogue with us . But he did not listen to us . We said repeatedly said that you can't run a coalition without dialogue," accused Shivanand Tiwari. 

 The Yadavs say the corruption case, which names both of them, is the misuse of power by the central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is using investigative agencies like the CBI to hound opponents. 

 Both sides are likely to reiterate their positions at today's sessions with their parties' law-makers. "We can't compromise on Nitish 's image," said KC Tyagi, a senior leader from the Chief Minister's party. 

 Since the case erupted on July 7 with raids at the Yadav home in Patna, Nitish Kumar and his party, the Janata Dal United, have made no utterances of support. 

 The Congress, which is the third member of the Bihar alliance, initially backed Lalu Yadav, but has lately quietened down, reportedly because Nitish Kumar has made it clear that he cannot be talked out of demanding his 28-year-old deputy's resignation. 

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