On the day Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav kicked off his Samvad Yatra (Dialogue Journey) from Bihar’s Samastipur, party chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday (September 10, 2024) said on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s possible return to mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), “If he doesn’t want to come to ‘this side’, let it be… it is good.”
A day earlier on September 9, Tejashwi Yadav too had said, “All doors of this side [grand alliance] is closed for Nitish Kumar who has been making several political flip-flops.”
Mr. Prasad’s comment came amid CM Kumar’s recent meeting with Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav. Mr. Prasad added that Mr. Yadav was embarking on “yatra [journey] from today and would visit across the State”.
Mr. Yadav kicked-off his karyakartasamvad yatra (workers’ dialogue journey) on Tuesday from Samastipur. He intends to inform people of the achievements made during his 17 months as Deputy Chief Minister in the previous mahagathbandhan government.
On Monday (September 9, 2024), Mr. Yadav had asserted that the “doors of the mahagathbandhan have been closed for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who has been making political flip-flops for several times” in the State.
“There is no point [of an alliance]. We’ve given him several opportunities. We didn’t go to him [for alliance]. He had come with folded hands before my mother [former Chief Minister Rabri Devi]. He even had publicly apologised in the State Assembly [for being with the BJP] and then he left. Nitish Kumar ji likes no one but himself,” Mr. Yadav said while speaking to a section of the media. “He [Nitish Kumar] is just the face of the government; a handful of BJP people are running the government,” Mr. Yadav said.
Read: Nitish Kumar has murdered the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, says Tejashwi Yadav
Speculations were abound that for yet another possible turnaround by Mr. Kumar in light of his meeting with Mr. Yadav. However, two days later, Mr. Kumar reiterated that he would not be going “anywhere” from his present affiliation. “I have made mistakes twice. But now will not repeat them, and will stay here,” Mr. Kumar said putting all speculations on his possible political turnaround to rest.
“Mr. Kumar’s makes these sorts of comments whenever he is about to make a flip-flop,” a senior RJD leader told The Hindu. Union Minister and senior State BJP leader Giriraj Singh said, “Lalu Prasad-Tejashwi Yadav and their family members have to wear a locket in the name of Nitish Kumar to bring them in power again and again.”
Political-strategist-turned-political activist Prashant Kishor, however, had earlier announced that Mr. Kumar would make another political turnaround, ahead of State Assembly elections, which are due in October-November next year. Mr. Kishor is likely to make a formal announcement of launching the political front for his Jan Suraaj campaign on October 2 this year. He has been slamming Mr. Prasad and the RJD more than the ruling National Democratic Alliance in Bihar.
Published - September 10, 2024 08:24 pm IST
