Published 08:12 IST, November 3rd 2020
Tejashwi Yadav pens letter to PM Modi; reminds him of "special status for Bihar" promise
As the second phase of polling begins in Bihar, Mahagathbandhan's CM face Tejashwi Yadav has penned a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought answers
As the second phase of polling begins in Bihar, Mahagathbandhan's CM face Tejashwi Yadav has penned a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought a report card of promises he made in the past six years. taking to Twitter, Tejashwi said that PM Modi will be addressing a poll rally for the third phase on Tuesday and hence he is writing to ask him if the Prime Minister has forgotten about his promises.
In the letter, Tejashwi reminds the Prime Minister of the "special status" demand stating that the NDA had promised it in 2015. Lashing out at the PM, Tejashwi has further said that Prime Minister is the chairman of NITI Aayog and there are 39 NDA MPs in the Lok Sabha, he asked, "then why cannot a policy be formulated and laws be tweaked in favour of Bihar?"
Tejashwi Yadav has also slammed NDA for its poll promise of free COVID vaccine. "Your minister says that Biharis will get the COVID vaccine free only when they vote for NDA..Since when did we reach so low in our politics?" Tejashwi Yadav has also asked a series of questions on employment, fees of the forms of government jobs, the migrant crisis that ensued after COVID lockdown.
Here is the full letter by Tejashwi to PM Modi:
PM's and CM's scathing attack on RJD
PM Modi started his poll campaign in Bihar on October 23 and had launched a scathing attack on RJD and Lalu Yadav's family for 'looting' the people of the State. In his first rally, PM had declared that "lantern era has ended", in a jibe at the party symbol of the RJD. He claimed that rattled by their defeat in state polls in 2005, RJD joined the UPA at the Centre and blocked Nitish's policies by arm twisting the Congress. He said that Nitish has got only 3-4 years to work with BJP and to ensure development in Bihar.
Further, PM Modi in his second leg of campaigning said that the RJD possessed copyright on kidnapping and extortion and that their politics was based on lies, mistrust and spreading misleading facts. He asked the crowd what else they could expect from the 'Yuvraj of Jungle Raj', referring to Mahagatbandhan's CM face Tejashwi Yadav.
NDA's CM face Nitish Kumar has also made several 'personal attacks' on Lalu Yadav and his family. He has criticised Lalu for placing his wife Rabri Devi on CM's seat in 1997 when he was arrested in the Fodder Scam case. In an open challenge to Tejashwi Yadav, CM Nitish told him to ask his mother and father (Rabri and Lalu), about the condition of women and law and order under RJD's reign.
Bihar assembly elections 2020
Incumbent Nitish Kumar is seeking reelection and is the CM face for the NDA. Mahagathbandhan has chosen Tejashwi Yadav as their CM face. The BJP is contesting on a seat-sharing formula of 121-122 seats with the JDU and Mukesh Sahni of Vikasheel Insaan party and Jitan Ram Manjhi of HAM(S), while LJP will contest solo. Mahagathbandhan comprising of Congress and three left parties have are contesting on seat-sharing formula of 144-70-29 seats respectively.
There are two other alliances in the fray - Owaisi's AIMIM has stitched an alliance with Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP, Mayawati's BSP, Devendra Yadav's SJDD, and SBSP called 'Grand Democratic Secular Front'. The alliance has fielded Kushwaha as the chief ministerial face. Another alliance named 'Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA)', consist of Pappu Yadav's Jan Adhikar Party (JAP), Chandrashekhar Azad's Azad Samaj Party, MK Faizi's Social Democratic Party and Bahujan Mukti Party. They have made Pappu Yadav their CM face.
Updated 08:12 IST, November 3rd 2020