News24 Exclusive: Ahead of the first phase of voting in Bihar, RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav spoke exclusively with News24 Editor-in-Chief Anurradha Prasad. During the conversation, Tejashwi discussed a range of issues including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s tenure, law and order, employment, and education. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he remarked that the Prime Minister visits Bihar and talks about events from twenty years ago but avoids discussing what happened in Mokama constituency.
Tejashwi asserted that the people of Bihar want change, quality education, employment, and better healthcare. He said the people desire a Bihar free from migration and crime. Tejashwi alleged that NDA had 20 years in power, yet there are still no factories or adequate job opportunities in the state. Around four to five crore people have been forced to leave Bihar in search of education, medical treatment, and livelihood. He added that twenty years is a long time, and despite this, the situation has not improved. “We now feel that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is no longer capable of leading. The effects of age are beginning to show, and the future of 14 crore Biharis does not seem secure in his hands,” Tejashwi said.
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Tejashwi Yadav on Bihar Assembly Elections
When asked about Bihar Assembly Elections, Tejashwi stated that the Grand Alliance and INDIA Bloc, have a vision, a roadmap, and a blueprint, but the NDA has nothing. “PM comes and talks about what happened 35 years ago but does not discuss what happened in Mokama 35 minutes ago. There is no account of the Rs 70,000 crore, so he does not talk about it, nor does he mention the scam,” Tejashwi said. He also took a dig at the NDA’s manifesto, stating that it was perhaps the first time that the manifesto was over within 30 seconds of its launch. “No one spoke because they had nothing to say,” Tejashwi added.
On being asked about the delay in announcing the chief ministerial candidate, Tejashwi dismissed reports of any confusion. “There was never any confusion about the name. Whenever we met, it was never an issue. There was a slight problem with seat-sharing, but everything is fine. Even though we were late, the distance within the NDA seems to be growing,” Tejashwi said.
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