With the Bihar Assembly elections on the horizon, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has intensified its criticism of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, branding his electoral promises as ‘jumlebaazi’ or empty slogans. The alliance argues that Yadav and his Mahagathbandhan are misleading the public with unrealistic guarantees, particularly as the election date nears.
Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal accused the opposition of engaging in a predictable pattern of making grand promises only when facing defeat. He noted that the INDIA bloc, including Congress and RJD, fails to address public concerns when in power but resorts to such tactics when elections loom. Jaiswal believes their actions indicate a certainty of losing the upcoming polls.
Jitan Ram Manjhi, Union Minister and chief of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), echoed this sentiment, asserting that the people of Bihar are politically mature and will not be deceived by Yadav’s campaign narrative. Manjhi referenced the Lok Sabha elections, suggesting that the ‘Constitution in danger’ narrative, propagated by the opposition, had a limited impact and that they are now repeating similar tactics. He stated that Yadav has a history of misleading the populace.
Manjhi further accused the Mahagathbandhan of deliberately spreading falsehoods. He cautioned that if the opposition were to win, they would likely fail to implement their promises and would shift blame to the central government for funding issues. He predicted that the voters of Bihar would not be duped again.
Samrat Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister and an NDA candidate, drew a stark contrast between the opposition’s words and the NDA’s actions. He emphasized that in a democracy, delivery is paramount, and the Modi-Nitish Kumar government is committed to fulfilling its promises. Choudhary positioned the NDA as the ‘doers’ in contrast to the RJD’s ‘talkers’.
The NDA’s critique follows Tejashwi Yadav’s recent election promises, including a doubling of honorariums and allowances for panchayat and village court representatives, coupled with a pension scheme and significant insurance coverage. He also vowed to provide interest-free loans to support marginalized communities in traditional crafts, aiming to boost self-employment and self-reliance. Yadav expressed confidence in Bihar’s readiness for change, asking for a mandate of 20 months to usher in a new era.
Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor, founder of Jan Suraaj, made a veiled reference to Yadav’s popular image, questioning who the ‘villains’ are if those responsible for Bihar’s perceived downfall are hailed as heroes. His party is running as a third option in the upcoming elections. The elections are set for November 6 and 11, with results declared on November 14.