Rahul Gandhi predicts Tejashwi’s leadership in Bihar

PTI, Feb 16, 2024, 1:58 PM IST

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday told Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav that he would be in the driving seat when it comes to Bihar.

The former Bihar deputy CM joined Gandhi for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which has spent five days in the state in two phases so far.

Yadav left for Sasaram, the district headquarters of Rohtas, on Thursday and joined Gandhi for a roadshow on a red car after spending the night there. After exchanging a warm hug, Gandhi asked Yadav to take the wheels.

The two leaders also interacted with farmers, a regular feature of the Yatra known as ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’.

While Gandhi focused on attacking the Modi government, Yadav directed his criticism towards Nitish Kumar, the Bihar Chief Minister, who abruptly returned to the NDA and took away Yadav’s power.

Shouts of ”Palturam (Mr. turncoat)” came from the crowds when Yadav referred to the JD(U) president’s exit from the ”Mahagathbandhan”, despite the ”sacrifice” made by the numerically stronger RJD in accepting him as chief minister.

”When I first promised 10 lakh jobs, he used to mock at me and ask if I would use my father’s money (baap ka paisa) to pay salaries. But we made the tired (thake hue) chief minister take significant steps towards job creation,” said Yadav, referring to the nearly 17-month period he shared power with the JD(U) president.

”I don’t want to use colorful epithets against him like you people are doing,” said Yadav, who is admired by his detractors for his correct behaviour.

”But, of course, Nitish ji is answerable to the people, who want to know under what circumstances he chose to realign with the BJP, despite saying in the past that he would prefer to be consigned to dust (mitti mein mil jayenge) and accept death (mar jaana qabool hai) rather than going back to the NDA,” said the RJD leader.