News Analysis India

Tag: Tejashwi Yadav

  • Bihar ex-minister Sudhakar Singh takes battle to CM turf, says will flag farmer issues

    Express News Service

    PATNA: A day after his resignation as Bihar agriculture minister, RJD leader Sudhakar Singh on Monday said he would continue to raise issues concerning farmers both inside and outside the Assembly. 

    “When I talk about farmers’ problems and oppose corruption, some people feel bad. People sitting in power become restless. Officers and employees have become masters,” he remarked while addressing a ‘kisan sabha’ at Adhaura in Kaimur district. 

    “If necessary, I will also raise farmers’ issues on the floor of the House besides doing so on road,” he added. According to sources Singh, who is the son of Bihar RJD president Jagdanand Singh, was asked to resign from the ministerial post by Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav when he was in his assembly constituency of Ramgarh in Kaimur district.

    This is despite the fact that Jagdanand is known for his close proximity to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Sudhakar’s exit shows that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi are not ready to allow a situation of mistrust to develop between the alliance partners.

    Nitish was also disturbed by the way Singh was raising the issue of corruption in the agriculture department, and questioning the benefits derived from the second and third agricultural roadmaps, which were prepared with much enthusiasm by his government.

    Sudhakar himself is allegedly involved in a rice scam. When he was inducted into the state cabinet, former deputy chief minister and BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi said that Sudhakar faced the accusation of siphoning Rs 5.31 crore in the 2013 rice scam. 

    PATNA: A day after his resignation as Bihar agriculture minister, RJD leader Sudhakar Singh on Monday said he would continue to raise issues concerning farmers both inside and outside the Assembly. 

    “When I talk about farmers’ problems and oppose corruption, some people feel bad. People sitting in power become restless. Officers and employees have become masters,” he remarked while addressing a ‘kisan sabha’ at Adhaura in Kaimur district. 

    “If necessary, I will also raise farmers’ issues on the floor of the House besides doing so on road,” he added. According to sources Singh, who is the son of Bihar RJD president Jagdanand Singh, was asked to resign from the ministerial post by Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav when he was in his assembly constituency of Ramgarh in Kaimur district.

    This is despite the fact that Jagdanand is known for his close proximity to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Sudhakar’s exit shows that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi are not ready to allow a situation of mistrust to develop between the alliance partners.

    Nitish was also disturbed by the way Singh was raising the issue of corruption in the agriculture department, and questioning the benefits derived from the second and third agricultural roadmaps, which were prepared with much enthusiasm by his government.

    Sudhakar himself is allegedly involved in a rice scam. When he was inducted into the state cabinet, former deputy chief minister and BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi said that Sudhakar faced the accusation of siphoning Rs 5.31 crore in the 2013 rice scam. 

  • ‘Time for all to work towards ensuring change of govt in 2024’, says Pawar at Opposition leaders rally

    By PTI

    FATEHABAD: As several opposition leaders came together on one stage here, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the time has come for everyone to work towards ensuring a change of the government at the Centre in 2024.

    Referring to the stir against the agri laws, he said farmers committing suicide is not a solution and that the real solution would be to bring about the change in government.

    Farmers staged protests on the borders of the national capital, but the central government did not heed to their demands for a very long time, Pawar said here at a mega rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

    The rally organised by INLD was also attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal among others.

    Pawar said farmers and youths committing suicide is not a solution, but the real solution is to bring about a change and everyone must strive for a change of the government at the Centre in 2024.

    Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief OP Chautala, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Bihar CM and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, Bihar Dy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal and CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and others during a rally in Fatehabad, Sunday . (Photo | PTI)

    ALSO READ | Pawar renews pitch for opposition unity for 2024 Lok Sabha polls

    He said the central government had promised to withdraw cases filed against farmer leaders, but it has not fulfilled it as yet.

    At the same rally, Nitish Kumar also called for uniting all non-BJP parties, including the Congress and the Left, to take on the BJP and said this “main front of opposition” will ensure that the saffron party loses badly in the 2024 general elections. Kumar also said he was not a prime ministerial candidate. 

    “There is no question of a Third Front. There should be one front including Congress, then we can defeat BJP in 2024,” he added.

    Bihar’s deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said the BJP earlier used to sing ‘menhgayi daayan maar gayi’ (price rise is killing every one), but now ‘menhgayi’ has become its ‘bhoujayi’ (sister-in-law).

    FATEHABAD: As several opposition leaders came together on one stage here, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the time has come for everyone to work towards ensuring a change of the government at the Centre in 2024.

    Referring to the stir against the agri laws, he said farmers committing suicide is not a solution and that the real solution would be to bring about the change in government.

    Farmers staged protests on the borders of the national capital, but the central government did not heed to their demands for a very long time, Pawar said here at a mega rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

    The rally organised by INLD was also attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal among others.

    Pawar said farmers and youths committing suicide is not a solution, but the real solution is to bring about a change and everyone must strive for a change of the government at the Centre in 2024.

    Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief OP Chautala, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Bihar CM and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, Bihar Dy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal and CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and others during a rally in Fatehabad, Sunday . (Photo | PTI)

    ALSO READ | Pawar renews pitch for opposition unity for 2024 Lok Sabha polls

    He said the central government had promised to withdraw cases filed against farmer leaders, but it has not fulfilled it as yet.

    At the same rally, Nitish Kumar also called for uniting all non-BJP parties, including the Congress and the Left, to take on the BJP and said this “main front of opposition” will ensure that the saffron party loses badly in the 2024 general elections. Kumar also said he was not a prime ministerial candidate. 

    “There is no question of a Third Front. There should be one front including Congress, then we can defeat BJP in 2024,” he added.

    Bihar’s deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said the BJP earlier used to sing ‘menhgayi daayan maar gayi’ (price rise is killing every one), but now ‘menhgayi’ has become its ‘bhoujayi’ (sister-in-law).

  • Opposition’s show of strength: INLD’s September 25 rally aims to bring Nitish, Tejashwi, Pawar on one stage

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: To display Opposition unity, the INLD has invited Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav and Farooq Abdullah for its September 25 rally which will also be attended by Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav, party leader Abhay Chautala said Tuesday.

    The INLD national general secretary said the former prime minister and JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda, SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik have also been invited to the rally.

    An invitation will also be sent to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, TDP president Chandrababu Naidu and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Chautala told PTI.

    He said, “During a meeting with Nitish Kumar ji, INLD supremo O P Chautala invited him to the September 25 rally in Fatehabad, and he agreed to attend the meeting.”

    When contacted, JD(U) leader K C Tyagi confirmed that Kumar will attend the rally along with Tejashwi Yadav.

    “To mark the birthday of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, various opposition leaders will come together on one stage and it would be an appropriate occasion to discuss various issues,” Tyagi told PTI.

    O P Chautala claimed that people are fed up with the BJP and “an atmosphere against the ruling party at the Centre is building in the country”.

    “The September 25 rally will not only showcase opposition unity but also anger against the BJP government,” he said, adding all socialist and erstwhile Janata Dal leaders should come on one stage.

    The INLD has been organising public rallies on the birthday of its founder Devi Lal and has been inviting various leaders from opposition parties, other than the Congress.

    NEW DELHI: To display Opposition unity, the INLD has invited Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav and Farooq Abdullah for its September 25 rally which will also be attended by Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav, party leader Abhay Chautala said Tuesday.

    The INLD national general secretary said the former prime minister and JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda, SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik have also been invited to the rally.

    An invitation will also be sent to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, TDP president Chandrababu Naidu and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Chautala told PTI.

    He said, “During a meeting with Nitish Kumar ji, INLD supremo O P Chautala invited him to the September 25 rally in Fatehabad, and he agreed to attend the meeting.”

    When contacted, JD(U) leader K C Tyagi confirmed that Kumar will attend the rally along with Tejashwi Yadav.

    “To mark the birthday of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, various opposition leaders will come together on one stage and it would be an appropriate occasion to discuss various issues,” Tyagi told PTI.

    O P Chautala claimed that people are fed up with the BJP and “an atmosphere against the ruling party at the Centre is building in the country”.

    “The September 25 rally will not only showcase opposition unity but also anger against the BJP government,” he said, adding all socialist and erstwhile Janata Dal leaders should come on one stage.

    The INLD has been organising public rallies on the birthday of its founder Devi Lal and has been inviting various leaders from opposition parties, other than the Congress.

  • Nitish Kumar and I have emerged from same churn of socialist movements: Tejashwi Yadav

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Amid the buzz that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could emerge as a prime ministerial candidate, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said if considered by the Opposition, the JD(U) leader might be a “strong candidate” as he enjoys “immense goodwill” on the ground.

    In an interview with PTI, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Yadav also said the BJP’s narrative that “jungle raj” will be back with the return of the Mahagathbandhan government was a “tired discourse” and a “classic case” of “crying wolf”.

    The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said the coming to power of the Mahagathbandhan government with the JD(U), the RJD, the Congress and other parties uniting “augurs well for opposition unity”.

    “It signals that most of the Opposition parties recognise the larger challenge before the country – the hegemony of the BJP, where on the back of money, media, and (administrative) machinery power, they are determined to stamp out all diversity from the Indian society as well as from the political spectrum,” he alleged.

    It is also a question of regional representation and social justice and development issues at the level of states, Yadav said.

    “For all their talk of cooperative federalism, the BJP’s attempt has been to consistently ignore regional disparities. Bihar needs special attention – nobody can deny it. But have we got anything from the Centre? Not quite,” he said.

    READ HERE | ‘Nitish Kumar’s decision to form Mahagathbandhan government slap on BJP’s face’: Tejashwi after meeting Sonia

    Yadav asserted that regional parties and other progressive political groups have to look beyond their narrow gains and losses and save the republic, asserting that it will be very difficult to rebuild if “we don’t stop the destruction in its tracks now”.

    Asked if Kumar is best-suited to be prime ministerial candidate for 2024 polls and if he could be the Opposition’s nominee, Yadav said, “I leave this question for Honourable Nitish ji. I cannot claim to speak on behalf of the entire Opposition, however, if considered, respected Nitish ji definitely might be a strong candidate.”

    For the last 50 years, he has been a social and political activist, having participated in JP and reservation movements, Yadav said.

    “He (Kumar) has more than 37 years of vast parliamentary and administrative experience and enjoys immense goodwill on the ground as well as among his peers,” the RJD leader said.

    Kumar’s decision to break ties with the BJP, his ally since 1996 except for the period between 2013 and 2017, has fuelled speculation about his prime ministerial bid.

    Asked about the several adverse comments he had made about Kumar when the JD(U) leader was in alliance with the BJP, Yadav said if one looks at the similarities and differences between them from a historical, national, contemporary and regional perspective, one will find a meeting of minds and objectives.

    “We have emerged from the same churn of socialist movements and broadly share the same values. Sometimes there have been issues but none that are irreconcilable,” he said.

    “Our comments against the previous government were made in the capacity of a responsive opposition. All the interventions made by me and my party colleagues were to make sure the government heard the people’s concerns and voices,” he asserted.

    On the BJP’s barb that “jungle raj” will return in Bihar, Yadav said it is a classic case of “crying wolf”.

    “It’s a tired discourse. Please mark my words – people understand and see through these tactics to divert attention and mislead. One, this is the age of social media and friends in mainstream media are not the only ones who control the discourse,” he said.

    Now, young people and active citizens can immediately recognise propaganda and counter it, the Bihar deputy chief minister asserted.

    “The ball is in the court of the mainstream media also – instead of doing ‘he said, she said’ – they should do their own checks. If the BJP says it is going to rain, friends in the mainstream media would do well to look outside the window and check for themselves if it would rain, instead of donning their raincoats and umbrellas and asking us if we think it’s going to rain,” Yadav said.

    Asked about BJP leader Sushil Modi’s allegations against the new Mahagathbandhan government and calling him a de facto CM, Yadav said everyone is free to say what they want but it doesn’t mean that “we have to take such things seriously”.

    “Respected Nitish ji is the Chief Minister and I’ll work with him to the best of my capacity,” he said.

    On his promise of 10 lakh jobs and the talk around it, Yadav said, “We have started in earnest, firstly, by deciding to fill up existing vacancies on a priority basis. Thereafter, we will have a programme that will focus on incentivising job creation in various sectors where Bihar has an advantage. While we get on with our work, I’ll appeal to the Union government again to give Bihar special consideration – the state has waited far too long. I want to remind respected PM Modi of the promises he made to the people of Bihar before both the general elections and the assembly elections,” he said.

    Kumar took oath as chief minister along with Yadav, who has been designated deputy CM, earlier this month after the JD(U) snapped ties with the BJP and joined hands with the RJD, the Congress and some other parties to form the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government.

    NEW DELHI: Amid the buzz that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could emerge as a prime ministerial candidate, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said if considered by the Opposition, the JD(U) leader might be a “strong candidate” as he enjoys “immense goodwill” on the ground.

    In an interview with PTI, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Yadav also said the BJP’s narrative that “jungle raj” will be back with the return of the Mahagathbandhan government was a “tired discourse” and a “classic case” of “crying wolf”.

    The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said the coming to power of the Mahagathbandhan government with the JD(U), the RJD, the Congress and other parties uniting “augurs well for opposition unity”.

    “It signals that most of the Opposition parties recognise the larger challenge before the country – the hegemony of the BJP, where on the back of money, media, and (administrative) machinery power, they are determined to stamp out all diversity from the Indian society as well as from the political spectrum,” he alleged.

    It is also a question of regional representation and social justice and development issues at the level of states, Yadav said.

    “For all their talk of cooperative federalism, the BJP’s attempt has been to consistently ignore regional disparities. Bihar needs special attention – nobody can deny it. But have we got anything from the Centre? Not quite,” he said.

    READ HERE | ‘Nitish Kumar’s decision to form Mahagathbandhan government slap on BJP’s face’: Tejashwi after meeting Sonia

    Yadav asserted that regional parties and other progressive political groups have to look beyond their narrow gains and losses and save the republic, asserting that it will be very difficult to rebuild if “we don’t stop the destruction in its tracks now”.

    Asked if Kumar is best-suited to be prime ministerial candidate for 2024 polls and if he could be the Opposition’s nominee, Yadav said, “I leave this question for Honourable Nitish ji. I cannot claim to speak on behalf of the entire Opposition, however, if considered, respected Nitish ji definitely might be a strong candidate.”

    For the last 50 years, he has been a social and political activist, having participated in JP and reservation movements, Yadav said.

    “He (Kumar) has more than 37 years of vast parliamentary and administrative experience and enjoys immense goodwill on the ground as well as among his peers,” the RJD leader said.

    Kumar’s decision to break ties with the BJP, his ally since 1996 except for the period between 2013 and 2017, has fuelled speculation about his prime ministerial bid.

    Asked about the several adverse comments he had made about Kumar when the JD(U) leader was in alliance with the BJP, Yadav said if one looks at the similarities and differences between them from a historical, national, contemporary and regional perspective, one will find a meeting of minds and objectives.

    “We have emerged from the same churn of socialist movements and broadly share the same values. Sometimes there have been issues but none that are irreconcilable,” he said.

    “Our comments against the previous government were made in the capacity of a responsive opposition. All the interventions made by me and my party colleagues were to make sure the government heard the people’s concerns and voices,” he asserted.

    On the BJP’s barb that “jungle raj” will return in Bihar, Yadav said it is a classic case of “crying wolf”.

    “It’s a tired discourse. Please mark my words – people understand and see through these tactics to divert attention and mislead. One, this is the age of social media and friends in mainstream media are not the only ones who control the discourse,” he said.

    Now, young people and active citizens can immediately recognise propaganda and counter it, the Bihar deputy chief minister asserted.

    “The ball is in the court of the mainstream media also – instead of doing ‘he said, she said’ – they should do their own checks. If the BJP says it is going to rain, friends in the mainstream media would do well to look outside the window and check for themselves if it would rain, instead of donning their raincoats and umbrellas and asking us if we think it’s going to rain,” Yadav said.

    Asked about BJP leader Sushil Modi’s allegations against the new Mahagathbandhan government and calling him a de facto CM, Yadav said everyone is free to say what they want but it doesn’t mean that “we have to take such things seriously”.

    “Respected Nitish ji is the Chief Minister and I’ll work with him to the best of my capacity,” he said.

    On his promise of 10 lakh jobs and the talk around it, Yadav said, “We have started in earnest, firstly, by deciding to fill up existing vacancies on a priority basis. Thereafter, we will have a programme that will focus on incentivising job creation in various sectors where Bihar has an advantage. While we get on with our work, I’ll appeal to the Union government again to give Bihar special consideration – the state has waited far too long. I want to remind respected PM Modi of the promises he made to the people of Bihar before both the general elections and the assembly elections,” he said.

    Kumar took oath as chief minister along with Yadav, who has been designated deputy CM, earlier this month after the JD(U) snapped ties with the BJP and joined hands with the RJD, the Congress and some other parties to form the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government.

  • ‘All options open, including joining BJP’: RCP Singh amid verbal volleys between saffron party, Grand Alliance

    By PTI

    PATNA: Former JD(U) national president RCP Singh, who was in the eye of a political storm in Bihar, on Thursday said he was keeping “all options open”, including a formal entry into the BJP.

    The former Union minister also lashed out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the latest political u-turn that saw the de facto JD(U) leader dumping the BJP and realigning with the “Mahagathbandhan” of the RJD, Congress and the Left.

    “I have all options open”, said Singh and when pointedly asked whether he would like to join the BJP, he quipped “why not?” The bureaucrat turned politician, who had to give up his ministerial berth upon denial of another Rajya Sabha term by the JD(U), maintained that Kumar, the de facto leader of the party, “will not become the prime minister even if he were to be reborn seven times”.

    “These are not times of political instability in the country when Chandra Shekhar, H D Deve Gowda, I K Gujaral etc. could enjoy brief stints as PM,” said Singh.

    The JD(U) accused Singh of having become a mole of the saffron camp.

    He denied allegations of having acted against the JD(U)’s interests at BJP’s behest in the last assembly polls of 2020, and a few months later, having become a Union minister without consent of the Bihar CM.

    ALSO READ | Developments in Bihar positive sign for national politics: Akhilesh Yadav

    “Why was the alliance not called off immediately after assembly polls if there was sabotage (bhitarghaat)? Why did senior party leaders congratulate me if my becoming a minister was an act of defiance?”, asked Singh.

    He alleged that Kumar “had made up his mind to betray the mandate of 2020 when people had voted the NDA back to power. I am just being used as an alibi to justify yet another volte-face. I wonder how many times can he switch sides”.

    Meanwhile, the BJP on Thursday cited recent cases of heinous crimes in Bihar and alleged involvement of some of the state ministers in criminal cases to claim that criminals have become “fearless” after the grand alliance came to power.

    Former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad noted that two persons, a class 12 girl student and a solider, were shot in Patna, his Lok Sabha constituency, in the last 24 hours as he took a swipe at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

    ALSO READ | Unease over cabinet portfolio choices in Bihar’s ‘Mahagathbandhan’ 

    These are no routine crimes and show how emboldened criminals have become in the state within days of the new government assuming office, he told reporters.

    If this is the situation in the state’s capital, one can well imagine where the state is heading, he said.

    “The state is returning to jungle raj,” he alleged.

    He also hit out at the government over the row over Bihar minister Kartikeya Singh’s suspected involvement in a kidnapping case and alleged the state’s agriculture minister was earlier linked to a rice scam.

    Singh’s lawyer has said the police investigation has found no evidence against him.

    Prasad refuted the claim and said the Patna High Court had in 2017 rejected the RJD leader’s plea for anticipatory bail by noting that the complaint’s statement highlights his role in the abduction.

    The court had asked him to surrender and to apply for regular bail, he said, accusing the police of trying to save him after the JD(U)-RJD-Congress formed the government.

    Kumar on Thursday dismissed allegations of “return of jungle raj” by the BJP and asserted that the controversy surrounding newly inducted minister and RJD MLC Kartikeya Singh was being “looked into” for suitable action.

    Asked about the BJP’s charge, he told reporters in Patna, “I will answer them at an appropriate time. They are speaking a lot. At this moment, I just need to assure people that the pace of development under the new dispensation will be greater than ever before.”

    Prasad said the police’s defence of Karikeya Singh has sent out the message to criminals that they can break the law and police will not act.

    The BJP leader said his party will take on the government and stand with the people over their issues.

    He also took a dig at JD(U) leader Kumar after one of his party MLAs, Bima Bharti, questioned him for the induction of Leshi Singh as a minister.

    Infighting has begun within the party, he said.

    Hitting back, Nitish asserted that the controversy surrounding the newly inducted minister and RJD MLC Kartikeya Singh was being “looked into” for suitable action.

    The JD(U) leader also reprimanded party MLA Bima Bharti for raising questions over re-induction of Leshi Singh, who has been a minister for many years, and said the rebellious legislator will be “properly briefed by the party”.

    Kumar, who now heads a government that includes, besides his party and RJD, the Congress and the Left extending support from outside, was talking to reporters at the IGIMS hospital here where he had gone to enquire about the well-being of Bijendra Prasad Yadav, the eldest member of his cabinet, who was admitted previous night after taking ill.

    Kumar was asked by journalists about the allegations of “return of jungle raj” by BJP leaders, who have been bombarding social media with incidents of crime and criminal cases involving ministers in the new cabinet, sore over loss of power.

    “I will answer them at an appropriate time. They are speaking a lot. At this moment, I just need to assure the people that the pace of development under the new dispensation will be greater than ever before”, said the chief minister.

    Asked about a criminal case involving Kartikeya Singh, the state’s law minister, Kumar said, “The matter is being looked into. Whatever is needed will be done.”

    The chief minister had on Wednesday said he had no information about the controversy surrounding Singh, known to be close to dreaded former Mokama MLA Anant Kumar Singh who was disqualified last month after conviction in a case relating to the recovery of explosives, arms and ammunition from his house.

    Kumar, the JD(U)’s de facto leader, reacted with obvious displeasure when he was asked about the outbursts of Bima Bharti, a former minister herself, who was livid over the re-induction of Leshi Singh.

    Both Singh and Bharti got elected from adjoining assembly segments of Purnea district.

    Singh’s late husband and Bharti’s spouse are said to have been rivals with a reputation for use of muscle power.

    “There is no problem with Leshi Singh,” Kumar stated about the minister for food and consumer protection, pointing out that she has been in the cabinet for a long.

    The CM also disapproved of Bharti “who has herself been made a minister in the past”, going public with her grievances.

    “She will be tackled at the party level. If she sees reason, fine, else she shall be free to chart her own course,” Kumar said curtly.

    ALSO READ | ‘Modi ko hatana hai’: Lalu’s first comments after NDA fallout in Bihar

    The CM was also asked about his meeting with RJD president Lalu Prasad, his arch rival whose younger son Tejashwi Yadav is back as his deputy while elder one Tej Pratap Yadav has also been given a cabinet berth.

    “He and I go a long way back. We may have treaded separate paths for some time, but you all know the relationship we share,” said Kumar about Prasad whom he has often called his “bada bhai” (elder brother) despite a fierce political rivalry.

    According to sources close to the ailing RJD supremo, the septuagenarian had on Wednesday night requested the chief minister to stay put and “guide” his children in their political journey.

    “Don’t go here and there anymore,” Prasad is said to have told Kumar in a jocular vein, in an oblique reference to the chief minister having made many a political about turn.

    Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Thursday alleged that BJP, “having got nothing else to do”, was trying to “defame” the new government in the state as it was “uncomfortable” with the ‘Mahagathbandhan’s pro-people stance.’

    About law minister and RJD MLC Kartikeya Singh, whose alleged criminal antecedents are being highlighted by the BJP, Yadav said the law will take its own course.

    “The BJP is now left with nothing to do. It is also uncomfortable over Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s announcement on job creation in his Independence Day speech. So it is trying to defame us,” said the RJD heir apparent.

    “We need not care about the BJP and a section of the media which is loyal towards them. We shall keep working for the people,” said the young leader.

    He pooh-poohed BJP’s claim that with RJD back in power, it was a “return of jungle raj in Bihar”, but added that Kartikeya Singh, whose induction is being criticized by the saffron party, was yet to be proven guilty of a crime by a court of law.

    He also rebuffed BJP’s claim that Singh got sworn in on the very day he was supposed to appear before a court which had issued a warrant following the RJD MLC’s failure to appear, despite summons, in a kidnapping case.

    “After the warrant, the court has granted interim protection against arrest. We will follow the court’s directions,” added Yadav.

    PATNA: Former JD(U) national president RCP Singh, who was in the eye of a political storm in Bihar, on Thursday said he was keeping “all options open”, including a formal entry into the BJP.

    The former Union minister also lashed out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the latest political u-turn that saw the de facto JD(U) leader dumping the BJP and realigning with the “Mahagathbandhan” of the RJD, Congress and the Left.

    “I have all options open”, said Singh and when pointedly asked whether he would like to join the BJP, he quipped “why not?” The bureaucrat turned politician, who had to give up his ministerial berth upon denial of another Rajya Sabha term by the JD(U), maintained that Kumar, the de facto leader of the party, “will not become the prime minister even if he were to be reborn seven times”.

    “These are not times of political instability in the country when Chandra Shekhar, H D Deve Gowda, I K Gujaral etc. could enjoy brief stints as PM,” said Singh.

    The JD(U) accused Singh of having become a mole of the saffron camp.

    He denied allegations of having acted against the JD(U)’s interests at BJP’s behest in the last assembly polls of 2020, and a few months later, having become a Union minister without consent of the Bihar CM.

    ALSO READ | Developments in Bihar positive sign for national politics: Akhilesh Yadav

    “Why was the alliance not called off immediately after assembly polls if there was sabotage (bhitarghaat)? Why did senior party leaders congratulate me if my becoming a minister was an act of defiance?”, asked Singh.

    He alleged that Kumar “had made up his mind to betray the mandate of 2020 when people had voted the NDA back to power. I am just being used as an alibi to justify yet another volte-face. I wonder how many times can he switch sides”.

    Meanwhile, the BJP on Thursday cited recent cases of heinous crimes in Bihar and alleged involvement of some of the state ministers in criminal cases to claim that criminals have become “fearless” after the grand alliance came to power.

    Former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad noted that two persons, a class 12 girl student and a solider, were shot in Patna, his Lok Sabha constituency, in the last 24 hours as he took a swipe at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

    ALSO READ | Unease over cabinet portfolio choices in Bihar’s ‘Mahagathbandhan’ 

    These are no routine crimes and show how emboldened criminals have become in the state within days of the new government assuming office, he told reporters.

    If this is the situation in the state’s capital, one can well imagine where the state is heading, he said.

    “The state is returning to jungle raj,” he alleged.

    He also hit out at the government over the row over Bihar minister Kartikeya Singh’s suspected involvement in a kidnapping case and alleged the state’s agriculture minister was earlier linked to a rice scam.

    Singh’s lawyer has said the police investigation has found no evidence against him.

    Prasad refuted the claim and said the Patna High Court had in 2017 rejected the RJD leader’s plea for anticipatory bail by noting that the complaint’s statement highlights his role in the abduction.

    The court had asked him to surrender and to apply for regular bail, he said, accusing the police of trying to save him after the JD(U)-RJD-Congress formed the government.

    Kumar on Thursday dismissed allegations of “return of jungle raj” by the BJP and asserted that the controversy surrounding newly inducted minister and RJD MLC Kartikeya Singh was being “looked into” for suitable action.

    Asked about the BJP’s charge, he told reporters in Patna, “I will answer them at an appropriate time. They are speaking a lot. At this moment, I just need to assure people that the pace of development under the new dispensation will be greater than ever before.”

    Prasad said the police’s defence of Karikeya Singh has sent out the message to criminals that they can break the law and police will not act.

    The BJP leader said his party will take on the government and stand with the people over their issues.

    He also took a dig at JD(U) leader Kumar after one of his party MLAs, Bima Bharti, questioned him for the induction of Leshi Singh as a minister.

    Infighting has begun within the party, he said.

    Hitting back, Nitish asserted that the controversy surrounding the newly inducted minister and RJD MLC Kartikeya Singh was being “looked into” for suitable action.

    The JD(U) leader also reprimanded party MLA Bima Bharti for raising questions over re-induction of Leshi Singh, who has been a minister for many years, and said the rebellious legislator will be “properly briefed by the party”.

    Kumar, who now heads a government that includes, besides his party and RJD, the Congress and the Left extending support from outside, was talking to reporters at the IGIMS hospital here where he had gone to enquire about the well-being of Bijendra Prasad Yadav, the eldest member of his cabinet, who was admitted previous night after taking ill.

    Kumar was asked by journalists about the allegations of “return of jungle raj” by BJP leaders, who have been bombarding social media with incidents of crime and criminal cases involving ministers in the new cabinet, sore over loss of power.

    “I will answer them at an appropriate time. They are speaking a lot. At this moment, I just need to assure the people that the pace of development under the new dispensation will be greater than ever before”, said the chief minister.

    Asked about a criminal case involving Kartikeya Singh, the state’s law minister, Kumar said, “The matter is being looked into. Whatever is needed will be done.”

    The chief minister had on Wednesday said he had no information about the controversy surrounding Singh, known to be close to dreaded former Mokama MLA Anant Kumar Singh who was disqualified last month after conviction in a case relating to the recovery of explosives, arms and ammunition from his house.

    Kumar, the JD(U)’s de facto leader, reacted with obvious displeasure when he was asked about the outbursts of Bima Bharti, a former minister herself, who was livid over the re-induction of Leshi Singh.

    Both Singh and Bharti got elected from adjoining assembly segments of Purnea district.

    Singh’s late husband and Bharti’s spouse are said to have been rivals with a reputation for use of muscle power.

    “There is no problem with Leshi Singh,” Kumar stated about the minister for food and consumer protection, pointing out that she has been in the cabinet for a long.

    The CM also disapproved of Bharti “who has herself been made a minister in the past”, going public with her grievances.

    “She will be tackled at the party level. If she sees reason, fine, else she shall be free to chart her own course,” Kumar said curtly.

    ALSO READ | ‘Modi ko hatana hai’: Lalu’s first comments after NDA fallout in Bihar

    The CM was also asked about his meeting with RJD president Lalu Prasad, his arch rival whose younger son Tejashwi Yadav is back as his deputy while elder one Tej Pratap Yadav has also been given a cabinet berth.

    “He and I go a long way back. We may have treaded separate paths for some time, but you all know the relationship we share,” said Kumar about Prasad whom he has often called his “bada bhai” (elder brother) despite a fierce political rivalry.

    According to sources close to the ailing RJD supremo, the septuagenarian had on Wednesday night requested the chief minister to stay put and “guide” his children in their political journey.

    “Don’t go here and there anymore,” Prasad is said to have told Kumar in a jocular vein, in an oblique reference to the chief minister having made many a political about turn.

    Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Thursday alleged that BJP, “having got nothing else to do”, was trying to “defame” the new government in the state as it was “uncomfortable” with the ‘Mahagathbandhan’s pro-people stance.’

    About law minister and RJD MLC Kartikeya Singh, whose alleged criminal antecedents are being highlighted by the BJP, Yadav said the law will take its own course.

    “The BJP is now left with nothing to do. It is also uncomfortable over Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s announcement on job creation in his Independence Day speech. So it is trying to defame us,” said the RJD heir apparent.

    “We need not care about the BJP and a section of the media which is loyal towards them. We shall keep working for the people,” said the young leader.

    He pooh-poohed BJP’s claim that with RJD back in power, it was a “return of jungle raj in Bihar”, but added that Kartikeya Singh, whose induction is being criticized by the saffron party, was yet to be proven guilty of a crime by a court of law.

    He also rebuffed BJP’s claim that Singh got sworn in on the very day he was supposed to appear before a court which had issued a warrant following the RJD MLC’s failure to appear, despite summons, in a kidnapping case.

    “After the warrant, the court has granted interim protection against arrest. We will follow the court’s directions,” added Yadav.

  • Bihar will be largest government job providing state within a month: Tejashwi Yadav

    By Agencies

    NEW DELHI: Ahead of the floor test in the Bihar Assembly that is slated to be held on August 24, newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday said that issues like employment and those related to youth’s future will be addressed if they remain in power.

    “Since we have formed the government, issues like employment and those related to youth’s future are being addressed. Issues like Hindu-Muslims and Mandir-Masjid were only discussed when BJP was in power. Hatred was sown in the society then,” Tejashwi Yadav told ANI.

    Earlier in the day, Yadav called the recent tie-up of Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) “a natural alliance and not a deal”, and claiming that within a month Bihar will be the largest government jobs providing state.

    Speaking to the reporters in the national capital where he reached on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan to meet his father and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi said, “It’s a natural alliance, not a deal. This is the real ‘Mahagathbandhan’ which was formed by Lalu Yadav Ji and Nitish Kumar. We welcomed Nitish Kumar’s decision and came together.”

    Talking about the timeline of the fulfilment of his promises of providing jobs to the youth of the state, the Deputy CM said that it will only be done after the trust vote in the Assembly.

    ALSO READ | Nitish Kumar denies prime ministerial ambitions, says working for Opposition unity

    “We do not do BJP-style politics that we will threaten and buy the leaders. We will provide jobs, let the trust vote be over. We are very serious about this issue. Within one month, you will see that Bihar will be the single-largest job-giving state in government jobs,” he said.

    Meanwhile, with the change in government in Bihar, a session of the state assembly has been convened for August 24. Legislators of the ruling Mahagathbandhan have given a notice for the removal of Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha.

    Sinha, who is a BJP MLA, on Thursday refused to comment on the no-confidence notice submitted against him. “As long as I am on this post, I will give no statement to the media on this (political development),” Sinha told reporters.

    The motion against Sinha is likely to be taken up by the House when it meets to enable the Nitish Kumar government to prove its majority.

    Nitish Kumar-led government will go for a floor test on August 24. Kumar had earlier said that the government has the support of seven parties and 164 MLAs.

    Nitish Kumar took oath as Bihar chief minister on Wednesday for a record eighth time after he severed ties with BJP a day earlier and resigned as chief minister. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took oath as Deputy Chief Minister.

    NEW DELHI: Ahead of the floor test in the Bihar Assembly that is slated to be held on August 24, newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday said that issues like employment and those related to youth’s future will be addressed if they remain in power.

    “Since we have formed the government, issues like employment and those related to youth’s future are being addressed. Issues like Hindu-Muslims and Mandir-Masjid were only discussed when BJP was in power. Hatred was sown in the society then,” Tejashwi Yadav told ANI.

    Earlier in the day, Yadav called the recent tie-up of Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) “a natural alliance and not a deal”, and claiming that within a month Bihar will be the largest government jobs providing state.

    Speaking to the reporters in the national capital where he reached on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan to meet his father and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi said, “It’s a natural alliance, not a deal. This is the real ‘Mahagathbandhan’ which was formed by Lalu Yadav Ji and Nitish Kumar. We welcomed Nitish Kumar’s decision and came together.”

    Talking about the timeline of the fulfilment of his promises of providing jobs to the youth of the state, the Deputy CM said that it will only be done after the trust vote in the Assembly.

    ALSO READ | Nitish Kumar denies prime ministerial ambitions, says working for Opposition unity

    “We do not do BJP-style politics that we will threaten and buy the leaders. We will provide jobs, let the trust vote be over. We are very serious about this issue. Within one month, you will see that Bihar will be the single-largest job-giving state in government jobs,” he said.

    Meanwhile, with the change in government in Bihar, a session of the state assembly has been convened for August 24. Legislators of the ruling Mahagathbandhan have given a notice for the removal of Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha.

    Sinha, who is a BJP MLA, on Thursday refused to comment on the no-confidence notice submitted against him. “As long as I am on this post, I will give no statement to the media on this (political development),” Sinha told reporters.

    The motion against Sinha is likely to be taken up by the House when it meets to enable the Nitish Kumar government to prove its majority.

    Nitish Kumar-led government will go for a floor test on August 24. Kumar had earlier said that the government has the support of seven parties and 164 MLAs.

    Nitish Kumar took oath as Bihar chief minister on Wednesday for a record eighth time after he severed ties with BJP a day earlier and resigned as chief minister. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took oath as Deputy Chief Minister.

  • Nitish Kumar denies prime ministerial ambitions, says working for Opposition unity

    By ANI

    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who broke ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and joined hands with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), said on Friday that he had no prime ministerial aspirations but was only working to bring the entire opposition together.

    “I say this with folded hands, I have no such thoughts. My work is to work for everyone. I will make an effort to see that all the Opposition parties walk and work together. If they do, it will be good,” Kumar told reporters here when asked whether he was a possible prime ministerial candidate of the opposition.

    Nitish Kumar was sworn chief minister for a record eighth time on Wednesday after he resigned from the post a day earlier and quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took an oath as deputy chief minister.

    The Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar will go for a floor test on August 24 to prove its majority in the state assembly. The decision to hold the floor test on August 24 and make a suitable recommendation for convening the state assembly was taken at a cabinet meeting attended by Kumar and Yadav on Wednesday. Sources said that expansion of the cabinet is likely to take place on August 16 and RJD will have more ministers than the Janata Dal-United.

    Mahagathbandhan or Grand Alliance has the support of 164 members in the assembly.

    Nitish Kumar broke his alliance with the BJP for the second time in eight years on Tuesday before joining hands with RJD and other parties in the Mahagathbandhan including the Congress and Left parties. The Grand Alliance also has the support of Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM), which has four MLAs in the Assembly.

    BJP has accused Nitish Kumar of “disrespecting” the mandate given by the people of Bihar. BJP and JD-U had fought the assembly polls together in 2020. Nitish Kumar was made Chief Minister though the BJP won more seats.

    Sources said that Congress is likely to have 2-3 representatives in the cabinet and HAM may get one berth.

    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who broke ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and joined hands with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), said on Friday that he had no prime ministerial aspirations but was only working to bring the entire opposition together.

    “I say this with folded hands, I have no such thoughts. My work is to work for everyone. I will make an effort to see that all the Opposition parties walk and work together. If they do, it will be good,” Kumar told reporters here when asked whether he was a possible prime ministerial candidate of the opposition.

    Nitish Kumar was sworn chief minister for a record eighth time on Wednesday after he resigned from the post a day earlier and quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took an oath as deputy chief minister.

    The Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar will go for a floor test on August 24 to prove its majority in the state assembly. The decision to hold the floor test on August 24 and make a suitable recommendation for convening the state assembly was taken at a cabinet meeting attended by Kumar and Yadav on Wednesday. Sources said that expansion of the cabinet is likely to take place on August 16 and RJD will have more ministers than the Janata Dal-United.

    Mahagathbandhan or Grand Alliance has the support of 164 members in the assembly.

    Nitish Kumar broke his alliance with the BJP for the second time in eight years on Tuesday before joining hands with RJD and other parties in the Mahagathbandhan including the Congress and Left parties. The Grand Alliance also has the support of Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM), which has four MLAs in the Assembly.

    BJP has accused Nitish Kumar of “disrespecting” the mandate given by the people of Bihar. BJP and JD-U had fought the assembly polls together in 2020. Nitish Kumar was made Chief Minister though the BJP won more seats.

    Sources said that Congress is likely to have 2-3 representatives in the cabinet and HAM may get one berth.

  • RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav: Born with a silver spoon, favourite of his father

    By PTI

    PATNA: After a dream debut seven years ago when he was sworn in as deputy chief minister after being elected MLA for the first time was followed by a slump in his political fortunes, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has finally come back to center-stage as the kingmaker and deputy to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

    The 33 years old younger son of the charismatic Lalu Prasad had steered the party to an impressive performance in the tightly contested 2020 assembly polls when it won the largest number of 75 seats, belying those who thought he will flounder since Prasad was in jail and the heir apparent lacked acumen.

    Before Chief Minister Kumar decided to pick him as his deputy for a second time, Yadav was making waves as a doughty leader of the opposition, taking on the government of his father’s arch-rival on the floor of the assembly while in session, as well as on the streets.

    The dramatic realignment was preceded by a massive ‘Pratirodh’ (opposition) March against the NDA government at the Centre which he led on Sunday, rallying along Congress and the Left, in a clear signal that the opposition in the state had the appetite for a fight.

    Born on November 9, 1989, he is the youngest of all but nine siblings and has been a clear favourite of his father who seemed to have noticed political potential in him at a young age.

    Doted on by seven elder and one younger sisters, besides a temperamental elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav, the RJD heir apparent whom family members address by the nickname “Tarun” married his Chandigarh-based friend Rachel Iris, who has since adopted a new name “Rajshree”.

    Derided by his opponents for lacking formal education, Yadav had given up studies after flunking in Std IX at DPS, RK Puram.

    He has, however, demonstrated an ability to read the situation he finds himself in and make the best of it.

    Having decided early on in life that studies were not for him, Yadav chose not to cling to his cricketing aspirations after the much-needed big break eluded him though, by most accounts, he was a competent all-rounder.

    He announced his “retirement” from cricket just a couple of years before entering politics in 2015, at the tender age of 25.

    The new vocation came as a perfect pitch to bat on as he won from Raghopur in the assembly election comfortably, thanks to a formidable, albeit short-lived alliance forged by arch-rivals Kumar and Prasad.

    In addition to being his father’s favourite, Yadav exuded a maturity that was beyond his age which certainly played role in his rise.

    As fate would have it, Yadav’s name cropped up in a money laundering case, relating to illegal land transactions involving his father’s tenure as the Railway Minister in the UPA-1 government, when the scion himself was in his teens.

    The development drew heavy opposition fire and the JD(U) leader, conscious of his reputation for probity in public life, snapped ties with the RJD and ended up making a hasty return to the NDA.

    Yadav took the sudden loss of power in his stride and worked to keep the RJD party afloat while his father ended up behind bars following convictions in a number of fodder scam cases.

    Questions were raised about his ability to lead the party and the Grand Alliance after the Lok Sabha elections in which the opposition coalition conceded 39 out of 40 seats to NDA and the RJD itself drew a blank.

    He was ridiculed, by the then ruling JD(U)-BJP combine, as an “ill prepared student afraid of facing exams” when he demanded that the assembly elections be deferred in view of the global pandemic.

    However, once the poll schedule was announced, the fire in his belly was there for all to see.

    Yadav displayed ruthlessness in shunning dissenters and guile in winning over allies, including the CPI(ML) which has been bitterly opposed to the RJD especially since former JNU president Chandrashekhar was gunned down, in the early 1990s, allegedly by henchmen of the local MP Mohd.Shahabuddin.

    Naysayers may think that he has short-changed himself, meekly accepting a deputy’s instead of waiting it out till the Chief Ministership could be up for grabs.

    Supporters will, however, be on a roll in their belief that he has given it back to the BJP which had snatched power from the RJD through a “backdoor entry” five years ago.

    PATNA: After a dream debut seven years ago when he was sworn in as deputy chief minister after being elected MLA for the first time was followed by a slump in his political fortunes, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has finally come back to center-stage as the kingmaker and deputy to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

    The 33 years old younger son of the charismatic Lalu Prasad had steered the party to an impressive performance in the tightly contested 2020 assembly polls when it won the largest number of 75 seats, belying those who thought he will flounder since Prasad was in jail and the heir apparent lacked acumen.

    Before Chief Minister Kumar decided to pick him as his deputy for a second time, Yadav was making waves as a doughty leader of the opposition, taking on the government of his father’s arch-rival on the floor of the assembly while in session, as well as on the streets.

    The dramatic realignment was preceded by a massive ‘Pratirodh’ (opposition) March against the NDA government at the Centre which he led on Sunday, rallying along Congress and the Left, in a clear signal that the opposition in the state had the appetite for a fight.

    Born on November 9, 1989, he is the youngest of all but nine siblings and has been a clear favourite of his father who seemed to have noticed political potential in him at a young age.

    Doted on by seven elder and one younger sisters, besides a temperamental elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav, the RJD heir apparent whom family members address by the nickname “Tarun” married his Chandigarh-based friend Rachel Iris, who has since adopted a new name “Rajshree”.

    Derided by his opponents for lacking formal education, Yadav had given up studies after flunking in Std IX at DPS, RK Puram.

    He has, however, demonstrated an ability to read the situation he finds himself in and make the best of it.

    Having decided early on in life that studies were not for him, Yadav chose not to cling to his cricketing aspirations after the much-needed big break eluded him though, by most accounts, he was a competent all-rounder.

    He announced his “retirement” from cricket just a couple of years before entering politics in 2015, at the tender age of 25.

    The new vocation came as a perfect pitch to bat on as he won from Raghopur in the assembly election comfortably, thanks to a formidable, albeit short-lived alliance forged by arch-rivals Kumar and Prasad.

    In addition to being his father’s favourite, Yadav exuded a maturity that was beyond his age which certainly played role in his rise.

    As fate would have it, Yadav’s name cropped up in a money laundering case, relating to illegal land transactions involving his father’s tenure as the Railway Minister in the UPA-1 government, when the scion himself was in his teens.

    The development drew heavy opposition fire and the JD(U) leader, conscious of his reputation for probity in public life, snapped ties with the RJD and ended up making a hasty return to the NDA.

    Yadav took the sudden loss of power in his stride and worked to keep the RJD party afloat while his father ended up behind bars following convictions in a number of fodder scam cases.

    Questions were raised about his ability to lead the party and the Grand Alliance after the Lok Sabha elections in which the opposition coalition conceded 39 out of 40 seats to NDA and the RJD itself drew a blank.

    He was ridiculed, by the then ruling JD(U)-BJP combine, as an “ill prepared student afraid of facing exams” when he demanded that the assembly elections be deferred in view of the global pandemic.

    However, once the poll schedule was announced, the fire in his belly was there for all to see.

    Yadav displayed ruthlessness in shunning dissenters and guile in winning over allies, including the CPI(ML) which has been bitterly opposed to the RJD especially since former JNU president Chandrashekhar was gunned down, in the early 1990s, allegedly by henchmen of the local MP Mohd.Shahabuddin.

    Naysayers may think that he has short-changed himself, meekly accepting a deputy’s instead of waiting it out till the Chief Ministership could be up for grabs.

    Supporters will, however, be on a roll in their belief that he has given it back to the BJP which had snatched power from the RJD through a “backdoor entry” five years ago.

  • ‘He brought disgrace to Bihar’: Tejashwi faces ridicule for fumbling before Modi in state assembly

    By PTI

    PATNA: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s faltering speech at a function attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided fresh ammunition to his baiters.

    The leader of the opposition had fumbled badly in the course of his address at the Bihar assembly premises here on Tuesday.

    His address had lasted barely 15 minutes.

    State BJP spokesman Arvind Kumar Singh came out with a statement on Wednesday charging the former deputy chief minister with having “brought disgrace to Bihar” and blamed it on Yadav’s “lack of education”, an allusion to his being a high school dropout.

    “On the occasion of Guru Purnima, we salute the teachers of Tejashwi Yadav who does not have enough skills to read out from a text. We can imagine how competent he will be if he comes to power”, Singh said sarcastically.

    The RJD leader was also viciously trolled on social media where users shared portions of the speech where he struggled.

    A sense of unease was visible as Yadav, a fiery orator whenever he speaks extempore, read out from a prepared text though it contained headlines-grabbing points like request for Bharat Ratna for late socialist leader Karpoori Thakur and setting up of a “school of democracy and legislative studies” in Bihar where Vaishali, the seat of the world’s oldest known republic, is located.

    It was the first occasion for the 32-year-old leader to share the dais with the prime minister, who was in the city on Tuesday on the occasion of centenary celebrations of Bihar Assembly.

    Many media outlets have carried unconfirmed reports of Yadav having been chided for his plumpness by the prime minister, who is almost his father Lalu Prasad’s age, with the curt remark “wazan kam karo” (lose some weight).

  • Lalu Prasad being brought to Delhi AIIMS for treatment, says Tejashwi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: RJD president Lalu Prasad, who was admitted to a Patna hospital with fractures after a fall at his house, is being shifted for better treatment at AIIMS-Delhi where doctors are well-versed with his medical history, his son Tejashwi Yadav said on Wednesday.

    Lalu Prasad suffered fractures in three places, including shoulder, after the fall and complications increased as the body is “locked” and he is unable to move much, Yadav said.

    The 74-year-old former Bihar chief minister was taken ill on Monday and admitted to a private hospital in Patna, less than 24 hours after he suffered the injuries. Sources said Lalu Prasad was in transit and was expected to be admitted to AIIMS in Delhi later in the night.

    Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday visited Lalu Prasad at the Patna hospital and enquired about his health.

    Lalu Prasad’s wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi, who reached Delhi Wednesday, said, “His (Lalu’s) health is slightly better now”.

    In a message to RJD workers and Lalu Prasad’s supporters, Rabri Devi said, “Don’t worry, he is being treated and will recover. Everyone should pray for him that he recovers soon.”

    Speaking with reporters alongside his mother here, Tejashwi Yadav said, “We are bringing him to AIIMS Delhi as better treatment can be done here with the doctors well-versed with his medical history.”

    “He has a fracture in three places after the fall. Complications increased after the fall as the body got locked, he is unable to move much,” the leader of opposition in the Bihar Assembly said.

    “Lalu ji will be brought here and a team of doctors will decide in which ward he will be kept. A check-up, all scans and ultrasound will be done,” Yadav said.

    Out on bail in fodder scam cases, Prasad had last month obtained permission from the Jharkhand High Court for travelling abroad, preferably Singapore, to get a kidney transplant.

    On whether it would be possible to go to Singapore, Tejashwi Yadav said if in 2-4 weeks he can undertake international travel “we may take him to Singapore.”