Patna: Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday targeted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as he questioned him about switching sides and asserted that he (Yadav) will fight to keep Narendra Modi out of the state.
Taking part in the debate on the confidence motion moved by the Kumar-led NDA government in the assembly, Yadav also taunted his ex-boss for having been sworn in "for a record ninth time, and also for the third time within a five-year term, something which has no precedent".
"First of all, I would like to congratulate our Chief Minister for scripting history by taking oath for the 9th consecutive time. We have not witnessed such a wonderful scene of taking oath for the third time in one term," Yadav said.
"We will always respect CM Nitish Kumar...When you came out of Raj Bhavan after resigning, you (Nitish Kumar) said 'Mann nhi lag raha tha, hum log nachne gaane ke liye thode hai...we were there to support you...," Yadav said.
He said he always considered Nitish Kumar a father figure but now he wonders what forced him to ditch the Mahagathbandhan' and return to the BJP-led NDA. "I always considered Nitish Kumar as 'Dashrath' (character from Ramayan). I don't know what reasons forced him to ditch the Mahagathbandhan', the former deputy CM said.
Yadav, who had been restrained ever since the upheaval a fortnight ago when Kumar made a return to the NDA fold, vented spleen on the floor of the state assembly. "The BJP was scared of the 'Mahagathbandhan' government in Bihar... Can Prime Minister Narendra Modi guarantee that Nitish Kumar will not do another volte-face?" he said.
Yadav reminded Kumar of his promise of 'fighting together' against PM Modi. "We think of you (CM Nitish Kumar) as a member of our family. We are from the Samajwadi family...The flag you had picked up to stop Modi in the country, now your nephew (referring to himself) will pick up that flag and stop Modi in Bihar," Yadav said.
"We are not afraid of anything. There is Lalu ji's blood inside me. We are people who believe in ideology. We do not get nervous or are afraid of all these things. We struggle and fight. We will continue to fight in the future as well," Yadav said.
Read More
