Lalu, Congress helped Koda: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday accused Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad and the Congress of helping former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda allegedly amass black money, a charge rubbished as "ridiculous" by the RJD supremo.

"The probe agencies should now also focus on former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress as they are equally responsible for the black money earned by Koda," said BJP national vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

When contacted, Yadav said, "I don't pay any attention to such irresponsible statements by the BJP leaders, who have always tried to tarnish my image and falsely implicated me in the multi-crore rupees fodder scam. It is ridiculous."

Naqvi said if the ambit of the ongoing investigations is broadened, then the role of Prasad, Congress and "some others" would come out in the open.

When reminded that Koda was a mines minister in the Arjun Munda government in Jharkhand, Naqvi said the BJP had removed him when the party came to know that he was involved in alleged corrupt practices.

"But the Congress made him the chief minister," he added.

The RJD chief said, "If the BJP is at all interested in a probe, Munda should also be brought under the scanner as under him Koda was a minister and had supported and saved his government."

Image: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav