Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary launched a fierce attack on former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, accusing him of nepotism and family appeasement within his party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Chaudhary contrasted this with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which he claims operates on principles of equality and grassroots connection.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party is a party of the common people, where everyone, from the Prime Minister to an ordinary party worker, is treated equally,” Chaudhary stated. “We do not adhere to concepts of royalty or hierarchy. Each party worker connects directly with the people on the ground, and even Prime Minister Modi connects with the poor personally. How can we be unequal?”
Chaudhary criticized RJD’s reliance on caste politics and alleged that the party prioritizes familial power. “RJD has only 20 to 25 percent of the vote, and they think integrating casteism into politics will work for them. Even if they win the elections, Lalu Ji is not going to give power to anyone. He will only transfer it to his family. When RJD was in government, Tejashwi was the Deputy Chief Minister, and when in opposition, he was the Leader of the Opposition, with his mother often by his side. Lalu Ji can never give prominent positions to any outsider,” he said.
Taking a jab at Tejashwi Yadav, Chaudhary remarked, “Tejashwi might consider himself a prince because his parents were former Chief Ministers of Bihar. Lalu Yadav’s family lives only for their own interests.”
Chaudhary also criticized the Yadav family’s absence during Bihar’s tumultuous “Jungle Raj” era. “Lalu Ji’s kids were not even present in Bihar during the ‘Jungle Raj’ era. His daughter, Rohini Acharya, was in Singapore. Now that Bihar has been transformed and developed under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Modi, they have returned to contest elections. I appeal to the voters of Saran: defeat her this time, and if she remains committed even after losing, then consider supporting her in the future.”
Previously, Chaudhary accused the RJD of opposing reservation policies and the Constitution. He also questioned Tejashwi Yadav’s credentials in addressing crucial political issues.
Bihar’s Lok Sabha elections are being contested in all seven phases. With 40 Lok Sabha constituencies, the fourth highest among all States and Union Territories, Bihar plays a crucial role in shaping Indian politics.
The RJD, part of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) opposition coalition in Bihar, will contest 26 out of the state’s 40 Lok Sabha seats. As part of the NDA, the BJP and JD (U) will contest for 17 and 16 seats, respectively. The results of the Lok Sabha elections will be declared on June 4th.
