PATNA: RJD working president Tejashwi Yadav on Friday alleged that JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar was forced to step down as Bihar’s chief minister by the BJP, which he claimed aimed to “finish” him politically.
The leader of the opposition made the remarks on the floor of the state assembly during a debate on the vote of confidence sought by the government led by BJP leader Samrat Choudhary.
Yadav said, “We knew the BJP would not allow Nitish Kumar to remain chief minister. They kept claiming he would lead the NDA until 2030, but now they have finished him off.”
He added that political stability is essential for any state, but described Bihar as an exception. “Bihar is peculiar. It has seen five governments in five years,” he said, referring to the period during which Nitish Kumar repeatedly moved in and out of the NDA. Seeking to fish in troubled waters of the BJP, Yadav referred to Samrat Choudhary's early political career when he was in the RJD.
"I am glad for Samrat Choudhary, who is a pupil of (RJD supremo) Lalu Prasad. But he must beware of those with deep roots in the BJP and the RSS who resent his rise," alleged Yadav.
Referring to an old election speech by Choudhary's father, a video of which went viral on social media, the RJD leader made tongue-in-cheek remarks.
"Shakuni Choudhary had threatened to bury Narendra Modi alive. That seems to have scared the BJP's top leadership, which has sought to pacify him by making his son the chief minister," Yadav said.
The RJD leader also referred to the raging debate on the issue of women's reservation in legislatures and said the quotas must be introduced in a way that ensured adequate representation of females from deprived castes.
(With inputs from PTI)