PATNA: Bihar Assembly witnessed a heated exchange between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav during the post-budget speech on Tuesday.
The confrontation escalated when Nitish, responding to Tejashwi’s remarks comparing NDA rule with that of his father, Lalu Prasad, reminded him of his role in shaping Lalu’s political career.
"It was I who made your father what he became (chief minister). Even people from your caste (Yadav) asked me why I was doing this. But I still supported him at that time," the JD(U) president said, addressing Tejashwi directly.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, who also holds the finance portfolio, had tabled a budget of Rs 3.17 lakh crore in the Assembly on Monday. The face-off between Nitish and Tejashwi occurred when Nitish started highlighting the achievements of the NDA government in Bihar.
Tejashwi, the Leader of the Opposition, interrupted Nitish’s speech, drawing a sharp response from the chief minister. Nitish dismissed Tejashwi’s comparisons and questioned his understanding of Bihar’s past. "What was in Bihar before 2005? You don’t know anything. People were scared to step out after sunset," he said.
Recalling the conditions under the RJD regime, Nitish claimed that when he was an MP and union minister, he had to travel on foot in his constituency due to the lack of roads. "Conflicts between two rival communities were at their peak. People from both communities used to fight each other," he added.
He contrasted this with the developments under his rule since 2005. "The situation changed after I came to power. Roads were built, electricity was made available, hospitals became operational, and healthcare facilities improved. Strict action was taken against those trying to vitiate the social fabric," he said, accusing RJD of seeking votes from Muslims while doing nothing for the community.
Nitish also spoke about government job opportunities created under NDA rule, particularly the recruitment of teachers. At this point, Tejashwi interrupted again, pointing out that many of these teachers were appointed during the Grand Alliance government when he was deputy chief minister.
Earlier, the Assembly also saw a sharp exchange between Samrat Chaudhary and Tejashwi. Chaudhary accused Tejashwi’s father of virtually robbing the state, to which Tejashwi hit back, saying, "It was my father who made him (Chaudhary) a minister for the first time during the RJD rule (in Rabri Devi’s cabinet)."
Chaudhary, however, retaliated, alleging that Lalu had even sent him to jail. Tejashwi then took a dig at Chaudhary’s political shifts, saying, "Earlier, Samrat Ji used to abuse BJP (when he was with RJD). What happened now?" He further remarked on Chaudhary’s father, Shakuni Chaudhary, stating, "I don’t even want to mention the kind of language his father used against the BJP in rallies earlier."