Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), said that the INDIA bloc, which was formed for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has lost its purpose and is now widening the divisions within the Opposition alliance.
He also ruled out any possibility of forming an alliance with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar or his party, the Janata Dal United (JDU).
"INDIA was formed to stop the BJP's victory in the Lok Sabha elections. It no longer holds any importance," Tejashwi said, adding that the tensions between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections were not surprising.
Tejashwi made these remarks while speaking to reporters in Buxar during his visit to meet party workers and supporters.
He clarified that RJD has not yet decided whether to contest the Delhi polls on February 5 but emphasised that the RJD and Congress will jointly contest the Bihar Assembly elections later this year.
Recently, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raised concerns about the INDIA leadership and showed interest in taking charge. RJD’s Lalu Prasad also suggested Mamata could be a better leader for the INDIA bloc than Congress.
Leaders from the Samajwadi Party, National Conference, NCP, and Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) have backed Mamata and voiced their dissatisfaction with the current leadership of the alliance.
Also Read: Lalu's 'doors open for Nitish' remark sparks row
Tejashwi firmly rejected any alliance with Nitish Kumar or the JDU, despite Lalu Prasad’s previous suggestion to unite against the BJP.
“There is no question of a compromise or alliance with Nitish Kumar or JDU,” Tejashwi stated, explaining that Lalu's comments were meant to calm reporters asking about the issue.
As the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi criticised Nitish Kumar for his governance, stating that under his 20-year rule, Bihar had fallen behind in development. Tejashwi referred to a Niti Aayog report highlighting high unemployment and migration rates in the state, despite the NDA government being in power for two decades.
Tejashwi also criticized the Bihar government for its failure to secure special category status or financial packages for the state, despite having two deputy chief ministers from the BJP.
Regarding Nitish's ongoing Pragati Yatra, Tejashwi called it wasteful, stating that over ₹200 crore was being spent on it while Bihar remains a poor state. He also criticiSed the Chief Minister for meeting officials rather than engaging with the public during the tour.
Tejashwi also slammed the state government for exam paper leaks and police actions against students.
Also Read: Nitish Kumar rejects Lalu's offer to join INDIA bloc
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