Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
Hours before the first phase of elections to take place in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday suspended his cabinet minister Awadhesh Kushwaha in connection with graft charges leveled against him in a sting operation.
ALSO READ: Bihar Polls: Ram, Krishna, Shakuni, Subhash Chandra Bose … All In Race
According to the reports, earlier on Sunday, a video surfaced in Patna showing the minister and RJD candidate from Pipra assembly segment,Awadhesh Kushwaha taking a bribe of Rs 4 lakh for favors after coming to power.
Reports added that the advance given to minister was for benefiting the Mumbai based businessman after the Mahagatbandhan comes into power in Bihar.
Meanwhile Kushwaha said that he has tendered his resignation following the video, which he claims is the handiwork of opposition to defame JDU.
ALSO READ: Bihar Polls: Permission Granted For PM Modi’s Rally In Bhabua
“I have sent in my resignation after talking to the Chief Minister after allegations of accepting Rs 4 lakh cropped up,” Kushwaha told PTI.
“I requested the Chief Minister that I am a senior minister and I can not continue in the office in the wake of such serious allegations,” the minister for Urban Development and Registration, Excise and Prohibition said.
JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav told reporters that Kushwaha’s resignation has been received and forwarded to the Governor for acceptance.
“As soon as we came to know about the sting operation, I had a meeting with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and state party president Bashishtha Narayan Singh. We later spoke to Awadhesh Kushwaha who tendered his resignation,” Yadav said.
He said Kushwaha will not be the JD(U) candidate for Pipra assembly constituency in East Champaran district.