Tejashwi Yadav, chairperson of Bihar's main opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal, added a touch of drama to the debate over the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by claiming that he was willing to 'step aside' if his party's presence in the government was proving to be an irritant to the chief minister. He said Kumar has returned to the wrong set of people after the breakup.
Nitish Kumar had, two weeks ago, broken his 17-month old alliance with RJD, and rejoined his former ally Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming that he was no longer able to maintain his relations with RJD.
"You could have told us once," Yadav said, participating in the confidence motion that Kumar is expected to win. "Instead, you went to the governor's house without informing anyone."
"I was the Deputy CM, you were the CM. We used to sit and chat on everything. You could have told me once. Have I ever stopped you from anything," he added.
Tejashwi Yadav, son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, has so far largely restrained himself from hitting back at his former ally, but today questioned Nitish Kumar's ability to recognize who are his friends and who are his foes.
"We are both from the socialist camp," he said to Kumar, iterating that there was no need for Nitish Kumar to break the alliance. Yadav said his party had initially offered to support a JDU government from the outside.
This offer, he said, was always on the table. RJD's intent, he claimed, was to ensure the implementation of certain policies and measures, and that he meant it when he said he would support the government irrespective of whether RJD was part of it or not.
"If it was our presence in the government, we could have supported you from outside. You should not have had any doubts...Once we give a commitment, we don't turn back, no matter what...We are people of principle. If we stand at any place, we stand there with full commitment," he said.
He asked Nitish to take a good look at the people he was sitting with, as these were the people who have traditionally opposed most of the causes that were dear to both Nitish and RJD, such as reservations.
Yadav wondered how Nitish Kumar could be taken in by the BJP government's actions, such as conferring Bharat Ratna to former Bihar chief minister and socialist leader Karpoori Thakur.
"When Karpoori Thakur hiked reservations, it is this very Jan Sangh that removed him from the post of the chief minister. These are the people who used to mock Karpoori Thakur over reservations," Yadav said, adding that the only reason why they have now conferred Bharat Ratna is in the hope of winning a few extra votes in the upcoming general elections.
"They have converted Bharat Ratna into a deal. They don't respect CM Karpoori. They are cutting deals for votes," he said, reminding Nitish Kumar that he, along with Lalu Prasad Yadav, had worked with Karpoori Thakur in his youth and is familiar with what happened.
Yadav also reminded Kumar of the same BJP government tried to prevent the RJD-JDU government from conducting the caste census, aimed at ascertaining the size of each caste and community in the state.
"When we were getting the caste census, the Centre put up Tushar Mehta [to oppose it]. You said that all of us in the house want [the caste census]. You know everything. Still you have crossed over to that side," he asked.
Tejashwi Yadav also responded to Nitish Kumar's criticism that RJD was taking credit for all the positive results of his government, including the recruitment of 2 lakh teachers.
He said the recruitment was done by a department that was under RJD according to division of ministries and headed by a minister from his party, and there was nothing wrong with claiming credit.
"You need willpower for it. We managed to get a tired CM running," he claimed.
