Nitish Kumar to investigate ’irregularities’ that took place after RJD joined Bihar govt

Less than a month after quitting his alliance with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that the new government will probe the irregularities that have taken place during JD(U)-RJD rule in the state. The development comes against the backdrop of the Bihar government ordering a review of decisions taken by the departments headed by former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and two RJD ministers Lalit Yadav and Ramanand Yadav.

“Irregularities (Gadbadiyaan) have taken place ... we will not tolerate this. Things are being investigated,” Nitish Kumar said while speaking with reporters on Saturday.

The remarks came a day after the Cabinet Secretariat, headed by Nitish Kumar asked the officials of the Health, Road Construction, Urban Development, and Housing and Rural Works departments to review all the decisions taken during the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav.

Similar orders were also issued to the officials of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and Mines and Geology Department, headed by Lalit Yadav and Ramanand Yadav.

'I don't pay attention to who says what': Nitish Kumar

When asked about Lalu Prasad Yadav's recent remarks that his party's "doors were always open," Nitish Kumar said he doesn't pay much attention to who says what and things were not going well with the RJD. “I don't pay attention to who says what. Things were not going well, so I left them (RJD),” the Bihar CM said.

"We will now investigate whatever went wrong in between,” he added.

During the trust vote in the Bihar Assembly, Nitish Kumar was seen exchanging pleasantries with Lalu Prasad Yadav. “I maintain good relations with allies and leaders of opposition parties. I shake hands with them (allies and leaders of opposition parties), whenever I meet them. That's all,” Nitish Kumar said.

While speaking on the Opposition INDIA bloc, Nitish Kumar said, "They (leaders of the INDIA bloc) were not doing anything…that is the reason that cracks are developing in the alliance. The name (INDIA) given to this alliance was not my choice at all. They decided on their own. Now, I have nothing to do with them…I am back here (NDA)".