Tejashwi Yadav slams Nitish Kumar over virtual rally, says 'address unemployment & crime'

As the NDA kicks-off its election rally with a virtual speech by Nitish Kumar, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday lashed out at the Bihar CM asking him to address the issues of unemployment and crime rate in the state. Quoting the figures of murder and rape released by the National Crime Records Bureau, Yadav alleged that the JDU-led Bihar Government was trying to 'keep people in a state of fear.'

"They (Bihar government) want to keep people under an atmosphere of fear. According to the National Crime Records Bureau's data, the crime rate in Bihar is at 40 per cent. An incident of rape takes place every 4 hours, while a murder every 5 hrs in Bihar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should talk about this," Yadav told news agency ANI.

"Bihar is a state of youth, we should talk to them realistically. Nitish Kumar should talk on real issues while addressing rallies. Nitish Kumar should tell how many people got employed in 15 years and why he remained missing during coronavirus crisis and floods?" he added. Earlier in the day, RJD workers protested in front of JDU's Patna office alleging 'mismanagement' of the COVID-19 crisis and rising levels of unemployment in the state. 

Read: Bihar Polls: Sushant Rajput Finds A Mention In CM Nitish's Rally, Mourns Actor's Death

Read: Bihar Polls: Ex-CM Jitan Ram Manjhi Returns To NDA Fold; Says' Full Faith In Modi-Nitish'

Nitish Kumar flags off 'Nischay Samwaad' rally 

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched his re-election campaign with a 'Nischay Samwaad' rally on Monday - where deceased actor Sushant Singh Rajput found a mention. While Kumar spoke in length on state's COVID-19 preparations, his government's social schemes, he also stated that not just Bihar, entire India was saddened by actor Sushant Singh Rajput's demise. While addressing the virtual rally, CM Nitish lashed out at the opposition in the state for constantly criticising the government over the COVID-19 crisis, choosing to ignore how the government had increased the testing capacity for COVID-19 to 1 lakh 50 thousand per day.

Bihar assembly elections

Bihar will go to polls amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with the EC releasing guidelines for conducting polls. As BJP lost in Delhi, all eyes are set on former party chief Amit Shah and Nitish Kumar -led JDU. While Kumar faces strong anti-incumbency, RJD - Bihar's main opposition has lost the lustre it once had due to the absence of it's chief Lalu Prasad Yadav - with his son Tejashwi, most likely to be named as CM hopeful.  Currently, the JDU-BJP combination rules the state with 131 seats, while the RJD-Congress opposition has 111 seats.

(With Agency Inputs)

Read: Bihar Polls: Nitish Kumar Kicks Off Campaign With 'Nischay Samwaad' Rally On September 7

Read: Bihar CM Says State Has Enough Arrangements For COVID; Flags Off Bihar Polls Campaign