The Congress has convened its CWC meeting in Bihar in a bid to take the “driving seat” from its allies but people will give yet another mandate to the NDA because they have seen the RJD’s rule of “fear, kidnapping and corruption” under Lalu Prasad, the BJP claimed on Wednesday.
BJP MP and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Congress, which has convened its CWC meeting in Bihar after a gap of 85 years, will have to answer why it remained “silent” when people of the state were being kidnapped, public money were swindled in scams and the entire state was witnessing caste based-massacre during the RJD’s rule. He also flayed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for his remarks about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during his speech at the CWC meeting in Patna and asked him to “do some introspection” as to what is his status in his party “where the levers of power are with someone else”.
“Their CWC meeting in Patna is purely motivated by political gains. They felt that they can take the driving seat and demand more seats (from RJD) to contest assembly polls in Bihar,” Prasad told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.
That’s why they have not declared RJD leader Tejeshwi Yadav as the opposition’s chief ministerial face in Bihar so far, he charged.
Tejashwi was seen playing second fiddle to Gandhi in the recent yatra taken out by the Congress leader in Bihar, the BJP leader added, referring to the Congress “Voter Adhikar Yatra”.
“No matter who is coming in and going from Bihar, NDA is set to win (the state assembly polls) because people have seen Lalu Prasad’s rule of fear, kidnap, loot and corruption in the state,” Prasad said. He asserted people will give their mandate to the NDA for the developments that happened during its tenure in Bihar.
Addressing the CWC meeting in Patna, Kharge launched a frontal attack on the BJP, accusing it it of orchestrating “vote chori” and communal polarisation.
He also asserted that the Bihar assembly elections would mark the beginning of the end of the Modi Government’s “corrupt rule”.
He claimed “internal strife” within the NDA alliance is now out in the open.
“Nitish Kumar has been mentally retired by the BJP. The BJP now considers him a burden,” Kharge charged.
Reacting sharply to Kharge’s remarks about Kumar, Prasad said, “Such a comment coming from the Congress party’s president questioning the mental status of the chief minister is very unfair.”
“Beyond this I will retain my civilised comments, except to say that Mr Congress president would you kindly do some introspection as to what is your status in the party where the levers of power is with someone else,” the senior BJP leader said when asked for comment.
Prasad alleged that the Congress has been standing behind multicore fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad and has kept mum even though charge sheet have been filed against the RJD Supremo in the land-for-job scam in which wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav are also accused.
He also took on the Congress, questioning its silence over its Kerala unit allegedly likening people of Bihar to bidis recently and Telangana Chief Minister Reventh Reddy’s “Bihar DNA” comment in the past.
“When you have come to Bihar to hold CWC after a gap of 85 years, you (the Congress) will have to give answers,” he added.
The BJP leader also lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, terming as “very shocking” his allegation that unemployment in the country has reached a 45-year high due to “vote theft”. “Rahul Gandhi, stop insulting the country’s democratic process and people’s right to vote,” he said and asked, “If they do not vote for you, will you abuse them like this?” “Your account is not going to open for the next 20-25 years,” he added.
In a post on X, Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that unemployment has reached a 45-year high in the country because the BJP doesn’t win elections honestly and stays in power by stealing votes and controlling institutions.