Sharad hits out at new ally, Lalu asks him to lead anti-BJP fight

Senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav on Sunday took a dig at the BJP, his party's new ally in Bihar, pointing out that the saffron party is yet to fulfil its electoral promise of bringing back black money stashed abroad.

He also questioned why no action had been taken against those whose names had appeared in the infamous Panama Papers.

"Neither black money stashed abroad returned, one of the main slogans of the ruling party, nor anyone caught out of those named in Panama papers," Yadav said in a tweet.

Yadav's sharp reaction comes days after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar quit the grand alliance and aligned with the BJP, ostensibly over the corruption charges against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's son and deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav. It was widely reported that Sharad Yadav is miffed with Kumar's decision to dump the RJD and the Congress.

Meanwhile, Lalu Prasad has extended an invitation to Yadav, urging him to lead the battle against the BJP in Bihar.

Prasad invited the Janata Dal (United) co-founder Yadav to lead the fight against the BJP and Kumar, who, he said, had joined hands with "communal and fascist forces and betrayed the people's mandate".

"Nitish has tarnished the image of Ambedkar. I urge Sharad Yadav, whom we consider the true leader, to travel to every corner of the country and come to Bihar and join our fight against the BJP and Nitish Kumar," Prasad said.

Sharad Yadav is not the only party leader unhappy with Kumar's decision. Members of Parliament Ali Anwar and Veerendra Kumar have voiced their displeasure publically over JD(U)'s return to the NDA.

The veteran JD(U) leader has not spoken to media but conveyed his misgivings through party leaders. Kumar and finance minister Arun Jaitley spoke to Yadav and tried to mollify him, sources said.

The RJD on Sunday said it will move court "within a week" against Bihar governor's invitation to JD(U)-NDA coalition to form a government in the state, and hit out at Nitish Kumar for "robbery of the mandate".