Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Opposition bloc’s chief ministerial candidate, Tejashwi Yadav, has launched a fresh attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, alleging that he has been “hijacked” by the BJP and will not return to power even if the NDA wins the upcoming state elections.
Addressing a massive rally in Saharsa district on Friday, Yadav accused the ruling coalition of misleading the people of Bihar while neglecting core issues such as employment, corruption, and poverty.
“Amit Shah has made it clear that the elected legislators will choose the next Chief Minister. Nitish Kumar will not be made CM even if the NDA wins again. Our ‘chacha’ (Nitish) is not in control—he has been hijacked by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, who are running Bihar from outside,” Yadav declared.
He urged voters to “choose a Bihari, not a bahri (outsider)” in the upcoming assembly elections.
Opposition Bloc Declares CM and Deputy CM Faces
The Opposition Grand Alliance, part of the INDIA bloc, officially announced Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial face and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani as the deputy chief ministerial candidate. The announcement followed weeks of internal discussions over seat-sharing arrangements ahead of the polls.
‘Bihar Still Poor After 20 Years of NDA Rule’
Criticizing the NDA government’s performance, Yadav said that Bihar remains one of India’s poorest states, even after two decades of JD(U)-led governance.
“As a Bihari, it pains me to see the state’s poor condition—unemployment, corruption, and crime are rampant. Despite 20 years of NDA rule in Bihar and 11 years of BJP rule at the Centre, Bihar’s per capita income remains the lowest, and our farmers are still struggling,” Yadav said.
He pledged to provide a transparent, people-focused administration, promising better healthcare, affordable medicines, and more government jobs if elected.
Promises and Policy Highlights
Yadav announced several key promises in his campaign speech, including:
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Reducing LPG cylinder prices to ₹500 (from around ₹1,000).
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Increasing old-age pensions from ₹1,100 to ₹1,500.
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Regularising contractual workers and community mobilisers.
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Guaranteeing one government job per household in Bihar.
He added, “What the NDA government could not do in 20 years, I will achieve in 20 months.”
Attack on Centre Over Probe Agencies
Yadav also accused the Centre of using investigative agencies to target opposition leaders, including his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, mother Rabri Devi, and himself.
“Lalu Yadav never feared Modi, and his son won’t either,” he said.
His comments came days after a Delhi court framed charges of corruption and conspiracy in the IRCTC hotels scam, describing Lalu Prasad as the “fountainhead of a criminal conspiracy.”
‘Bihar Deserves Growth, Not Neglect’
In another rally in Muzaffarpur, Yadav said the NDA government had failed to promote Bihar’s local industries, including the region’s famous litchi production.
“Muzaffarpur’s litchis are known across the world. What has the NDA done to promote them? Nothing,” he said.
“Our alliance will create a world record in employment generation once we come to power.”
