RJD legislator and Bihar Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav has emerged as the new issue of dispute between the two ruling NDA partners ~ JD(U) and BJP ~ in the state. A day after the building construction department (BCD)’s secretary Chanchal Kumar gave a “clean chit” to Lalu Prasad’s scion in the alleged wasteful expenditure on his government bungalow allotted during latter’s stint as Bihar’s deputy chief minister, his successor, Sushil Kumar Modi, has disputed the former’s claim.

“Tejashwi misused his official position to spend crores of rupees on renovation/decoration of his bungalow. The government hasn’t given clean chit to him,” Modi, a senior BJP leader, told the media yesterday. He asked as to under which rule he bought furniture worth Rs59 lakh for his bungalow and then fitted 44 air-conditioners, 464 costly LED lights, 108 fans among others in his bungalow and turned it into a 7-star hotel.

Strangely, Modi was instrumental in scripting the plot for the fall of the previous Grand Alliance government in Bihar by bringing to fore various benami properties of jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad. However, Modi currently finds himself isolated over the issue in the NDA as none has come out in his support so far, indicating the deeply-going conflict in the NDA.

Modi’s reactions came shortly after BCD’s secretary held a formal Press conference on Friday to hand out a “clean chit” to RJD chief’s son in the bungalow row. Ironically it was Modi who had alleged largescale wasteful expenditure in decoration of bungalow but BCD secretary Kumar rejected all his charges in a hug embarrassment to the BJP leader. It is worth mentioning here that the BCD secretary also happens to be the principal secretary to chief minister Nitish Kumar and is considered very close to the latter.

“Whatever expenditures made on the bungalow was done under the norms. It was a bit high but we can’t say the expenses made were wasteful expenditures,” BSD secretary Kumar told newsmen on Friday. He also denied the reports that any committee was formed to probe the wasteful expenditure

In another twist to the entire development, building construction department minister Ashok Chaudhary too backed the claim of his department’s secretary. “Tejashwi Yadav is legally correct in spending money on renovation of his bungalow though it was improper for him to make wasteful expenditure. He didn’t act on his conscience,” Chaudhary said

The two NDA partners are quarreling in public right since the JD(U) was offered only one ministerial berth in the Narendra Modi Cabinet which the latter rejected in protest. Since then the JD(U) has gone more vocal on its stand and has been publicly opposing the contentious issues of its ally, the BJP.

Only yesterday, JD(U)’s general secretary KC Tyagi said the Triple Talaq Bill in the present form is not acceptable to the party and that the BJP should have taken all the allies in confidence before tabling the Bill in the Lok Sabha.

“We will not support the present Bill. It’s a delicate matter and hence efforts should be made to get the opinions of all concerned for arriving at a consensus,” Tyagi said. The JD(U) has also opposed the removal of Article 370 and implementation of Uniform Civil Code while it wants to settle the Ram temple dispute through consensus or by court’s intervention.