PATNA: “No doubt, we have been defeated by unexpected results came out from the recently concluded Lok Sabha election in favour of NDA but we are not dejected. There is no threat to the unity of Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) because we are still as united as we were when the alliance was formed,” claimed RJD’s leader of opposition in state assembly Tejashawi Yadav on Wednesday here.
Speaking after attending the meeting of Mahagatbandhan, held at the residence of former CM Rabri Devi, Tejashawi Yadav, accompanied by RLDSP Upendra Kushwaha and VIP’s Mukesh Sahani, alleged that recent results of Lok Sabha elections were well managed by the NDA through an engineered electoral conspiracy.
“But defeat shows a way and we will find a way in the next assembly election to route out the NDA”, he averred. Yadav admitted that results, gone in favour of the NDA, were never expected by them (leaders in Mahagathandhan) even in the wildest of their dreams. “If turn-ups of people seen at the rallies, which were addressed jointly by NDA leaders were poorest among the poor in numbers and crowd-pulling but results sprang a surprise,” he said.
He accused the NDA of misleading the people through set agendas instead of fighting elections on real ‘people-facing issues “The people have been misled by their misplaced trust in NDA,” he quipped.
“Let the state assembly elections come, we will take on the opponents. In elections for the Lok Sabha, issues happen to be different from the issues upon which the elections are fought for assembly,” he said, adding that a committee was formed to study out what went wrongs in LS elections.
Upon being asked, why no leader of state Congress party attended the alliance’s post-poll debacle review meeting, Tejashawi Yadav said he was in regular contact with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
He said: “Congress President Rahul Gandhi has invited me to attend a meeting with the Congress, likely to be held in next few days. We will expose the NDA’s conspiracy by going before the people”.
On being asked, he said no invitation has been by him so far for attending the swearing-in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi. He said had he been received an invitation, the party would have decided whether to go or not to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Meanwhile, state president of Congress Party Madan Mohan Jha said he had assigned a representative of party to attend the meeting of Mahagatvandhan. “I had to come to Darbhanga due to an urgent unavoidable work but had asked to send a part’s representative,” he told the media.
Former CM and president of Hindustan Awami Morcha (HAM) Jitan Ram Manjhi reportedly could not attend the meeting because of pain in his teeth. He had sent his son to attend the meeting.