Claiming that the days of Bharatiya Janata Party were numbered in the country, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former deputy chief minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav, said that the Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party alliance would have a huge impact in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and the saffron party would be wiped out from both the states.
“I congratulate Mayawatiji and Akhileshji for forging the alliance which is crucial for national interest. It was necessary in view of the prevailing political and economic situation in the country,” he said promising full support to the alliance.
Hitting out at the Union government, Tejashwi said, “The Enforcement Directorate and the CBI are no longer autonomous investigation agencies; they have now become alliance partners of BJP and Laluji is in jail only because (Narendra) Modiji saw him as a threat to his throne.”
Addressing a press conference here on Monday after meeting SP president Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi said this new opposition alliance would change the political scenario of the country.
“The countdown for the BJP has started in the country and it is now just days when the BJP will be wiped out, particularly in UP and Bihar,” he claimed.
The RJD leader said during the BJP regime, mob lynching had increased as the ruling party had spread hatred in society.
“There is an emergency-like situation in the country and the constitutional institutions are being weakened. Unemployment has increased and the farmers are dying of starvation,” he claimed.
Tejashwi said that his party would support the SP-BSP alliance. He alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ditched the people of Bihar by not releasing a single penny of the special economic package promised during Bihar assembly polls in 2016, or special status to the state and his new friend Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was silent on it.
“We are not here to defeat Modiji, we don’t have any personal enmity with him. It is an ideological fight... we have always been opposing the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. We want to work for our country and save the Constitution of the country,” he said.
Coming down heavily on the Centre’s 10 per cent quota for the economically weaker people of the upper castes, the RJD leader said that the BJP wants to implement “Nagpur laws” in the country, a reference to the BJP working committee which at the behest of the RSS is headquartered in Nagpur.
“My father Lalu Prasad Yadav had always dreamt of an alliance comprising Mayawatiji and Akhileshji in UP. Laluji is today in jail as he never bowed in front of the BJP... even I was not spared as a boy and cases were lodged against me. My Nitish chacha was also instrumental in it,” he said.
Meanwhile, SP president Akhilesh Yadav said in the press conference that every section of society wanted to get rid of the Modi government.
“People from Delhi to Kolkata are happy about our alliance and the people are also supporting us. This gathbandhan has given a new message to society,” he said.
During their hour-long meeting, Akhilesh and Tejashwi held talks in presence of other leaders and discussed how to extend this gathbandhan to other states by joining hands with other regional parties.
On Sunday evening, Tejashwi had met BSP president Mayawati and wished her on her 63rd birthday on Tuesday. The meeting between the BSP chief and Tejashwi lasted for over an hour on Sunday evening.
“Mayawatiji is a senior leader and we would like her guidance in future. Who would leave a chance to speak to her,” he said.