JDU hits back at Tejashwi Yadav with ‘street leader’ jibe as RJD leader says no place for Nitish in Mahagathbandhan

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav has once again hit out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal United (JDU) saying there is no place for the ruling party in Mahagathbandhan.

Accusing the Bihar Chief Minister of cheating repeatedly, the Yadav scion said, “Nitish ji ne har baar dhokha dene ka kaam kiya hai. Aisa koi saga nahi, jisko humare chacha ne thagaa nahi. Agar woh phirse aana chaahein, mahagathbandhan mein unki koi jagah nahi hogi (Nitish ji has cheated every time. There is no one who he has not been cheated by uncle. If he wants to come again, there will be no place for him in Mahagathbandhan).”

The JDU was also quick to react, with senior party leader KC Tyagi hitting back at the RJD leader saying there was no question of the ruling party wanting to come back to Mahagathbandhan. Speaking to a television channel, Tyagi asked if Nitish Kumar has applied for a slot in the alliance comprising the RJD and the Congress party.

Hitting out at Tejashwi Yadav, the JDU leader further said that he would not need approval of “street leaders” if the party wanted to get back to the Mahagathbandhan. He further said that Nitish Kumar talked to RJD supremo recently to ask about his well-being and Tejashwi should not try to give political colour to the interaction between the two leaders.

Earlier on Wednesday, Tejashwi had dismissed suggestions by some Congres leaders that Nitish Kumar's return to the grand alliance could be considered if he snapped ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"They (Congress) are not authorised to take a decision in this regard," Tejashwi told reporters.

"After Nitish ji ditched us last year and rejoined the NDA, he tried to sell the idea to the people of Bihar that he had the welfare of the state in mind and that with the NDA in power both at the Centre and in the state, Bihar would be equipped with a double engine that will speed up its development. Nothing of that sort has happened," Tejashwi, the younger son of RJD president Lalu Prasad, said.