Bihar 2020 Election – Many see a strategy behind Tejashwi’s comments in support of Chirag Paswan. (Proceedings)
Patna, Bihar:
Bihar’s chief minister, Nitish Kumar, has been receiving criticism from opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav, as well as ally-turned-rival Chirag Paswan in Bihar’s election campaign. The only factor that could make the situation worse for him would be for the two of them to join forces.
In that regard, Nitish Kumar has reason to be concerned. Tejashwi Yadav’s comments this morning attacking him made reference to Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan, who is competing separately from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and insists that he remains an ally of the BJP despite that he is fighting the Chief Minister at the polls.
“What Nitish Kumar Ji did with Chirag Paswan was not good. Chirag Paswan needs his father right now more than ever, but Ram Vilas Paswan is not among us and we are sad about that. The way Nitish Kumar behaved. .. he did injustice to Chirag Paswan, “Rashtriya chief Janata Dal (RJD) told reporters.
The comment comes three days after Chirag Paswan, in an interview with NDTV, spoke about feeling hurt by Nitish Kumar’s stance after the death of his father and former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. The chief minister, he claimed, had snubbed him and had not said a word of condolence to him or his mother.
Chirag Paswan shared that when his father’s body was transferred from Delhi to Patna, Nitish Kumar was at the airport to pay tribute, but did not recognize him. “I touched his feet and he ignored me. Everyone saw that. I’m surprised that due to our personal feelings, we even forgot the basic shishtachar (courtesy).”
Many see a strategy behind Tejashwi’s comments in support of Chirag Paswan. His parents were former partners and they both share a history with Nitish Kumar as part of the socialist movement.
When Ram Vilas Paswan died on October 8, Tejashwi’s father, Lalu Yadav, expressed his grief and his mother, Rabri Devi, also a former chief minister, said the family was in mourning. Nitish Kumar also paid tribute, but was apparently indifferent to Chirag Paswan, who has criticized him relentlessly for the past few months.
With Nitish Kumar as their common enemy, Tejashwi and Chirag Paswan are believed to have an understanding in the RJD leader’s Raghopur constituency. Sources say that Chirag Paswan has sent a Rajput candidate to the seat for the express purpose of cutting the vote base of the upper castes of the BJP, which will help Tejashwi Yadav.
The BJP’s candidate against Tejashwi Yadav is Satish Yadav, who was dubbed a giant assassin when he defeated Rabari Devi in 2010. He had competed as a candidate for Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United at the time.
In the last elections of 2015, Satish Yadav, then the BJP candidate, lost to Tejashwi.
The Rajput votes that usually go to the BJP are a deciding factor in the seat. If the Chirag Paswan candidate cuts the votes of the ruling coalition, then Tejashwi will pass.
Bihar votes for a new assembly of 243 members on October 28, November 3 and 7. The results will be announced on November 10.
.
