PATNA: Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, has dismissed claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) sweeping victory in Delhi will have any bearing on the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled for October-November this year.
Taking a dig at the NDA leaders' remark, "Delhi to jhanki hai, Bihar abhi baaki hai" (Delhi is just a glimpse, Bihar is still left), Tejashwi said, "Bihar, Bihar hai... yah samajhna padega. Bihar ki sthiti Delhi se alag hai" (This is Bihar, you will have to understand this. The situation in Bihar is different from Delhi).
Reacting to the Delhi election results, Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) patron Jitan Ram Manjhi said on Saturday, "Delhi is just a glimpse, Bihar is still left." Manjhi’s party is an ally of the NDA both in Bihar and at the Centre.
Tejashwi, however, sarcastically thanked the BJP for its victory in Delhi. Responding to a media query, the former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister remarked that the BJP was returning to power in the national capital after nearly 27 years. "We hope they will fulfil the promises made to the people of Delhi during electioneering and not restrict themselves only to mere rhetoric," he asserted.
Referring to the AAP’s ousting in Delhi, Tejashwi said, "In a democracy, people are the real masters, and this is the beauty of democracy. It’s the people who decide who will govern." He added that the people's verdict should always be honoured.
Meanwhile, NDA leaders in Bihar have started holding joint meetings to strengthen their alliance ahead of the state elections. A recent meeting in Ara, Bhojpur district, was attended by state presidents and office-bearers of all NDA allies.
The BJP has also declared that the NDA will contest the assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.