Patna, October 24: RJD leader and INDIA bloc chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav on Friday claimed that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will not be made Bihar’s CM if the NDA returns to power, while promising a “corruption-free” government if his alliance wins the elections.
Addressing a rally in Bakhtiyarpur, Yadav said he was anguished that Bihar’s farmers remain poor despite 20 years of NDA rule in the state and 11 years at the Centre. “As a Bihari, I feel anguished that my state is poor, unemployment, corruption and criminal activities are on the rise. Despite two decades of NDA rule, per capita income remains the lowest, and farmers continue to struggle,” he said.
Yadav accused the Centre of shielding corrupt leaders and criminals in Bihar and reiterated his pledge to present a government that would listen to the people’s grievances. “If the INDIA bloc wins, Tejashwi will become the CM, and the people will become chinta mukt (tension-free). I will ensure there will be no crime and present a corruption-free government in Bihar. Our government will provide education, medicines, and jobs for the people,” he said.
He also outlined specific welfare measures, including reducing LPG cylinder cost to Rs 500, raising old-age pensions to Rs 1,500, providing a government job to each household, and regularizing contractual workers and community mobilisers.
Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims of “jungle raj” under the RJD, Yadav said, “The Prime Minister himself recounted 55 scams under the Nitish Kumar government. What action has he taken? Jungle raj is where no appropriate action is taken against scams and criminals roam free.” He further alleged that BJP-ruled states witness the highest criminal activities in India.
Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters in Patna, Yadav criticized the BJP’s electoral strategy, saying, “The BJP sets up factories in Gujarat and seeks victory in Bihar. This is not going to happen.”
