Bihar: Tejashwi Embarks on Yatra, Harps on ‘Rozgar’ Agenda to hit out at Nitish-Modi

Patna: Weeks Ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha election announcement, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav took to streets and began his Jan Vishwas Yatra on Wednesday to reach out to people to across the state and inform them about his "rozgar" agenda across Bihar.

To take on the Bharatiya Janata party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and its ally, Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United, the RJD leader aggressively attacked both, terming the Chief Minister as “visionless and outdated” for developing Bihar. He said Kumar treated the mandate of the people like “footwear”.

"Wo (Kumar) purana khayalat ke hain aur unka koi vision nahi hai. Gathbandhan badalne ka bhi koi reason nahi hai, kewal idhar-udhar karna hi kaam hai. Janaadesh ko apne pair ki jooti samajhte hain", Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister, said at the first public meeting after formally launching his Yatra in Muzaffarpur district. It was also his first public meeting after Kumar ditched the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) and once again joined hands with the BJP.

Tejashwi Yadav took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi slogan of “Modi ki guarantee” and dared him to guarantee that Kumar would not change sides again.

He said during the 17 months rule of the Mahagathbandhan, as deputy CM, he had fulfilled his promise to the youth by providing employment and distributing letter for government jobs.

"We have fulfilled our promises. Now every leader in the country and any government will have to talk about ‘rozgar’ aur ‘naukri’ (employment and jobs)" he said.

Yadav made this claim nearly three weeks after Kumar, president of JD-U, dumped the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.

The young RJD leader urged people to continue their support to his party, which had emerged as the single largest party in the last two Assembly polls.

"Some people say that RJD is a party of MY (Muslim-Yadav) but I want to tell them that our party is not only of MY but BAAP as well. Here B stands for Bahujan, A stand for Agda (forward), A for Adhi Abaadi (women) and P for Poor. We talk about A to Z”, he said.

Read Also: Mahagathbandhan Govt in Bihar to Make Job Creation its USP?

Yadav reminded people that the previous Mahagathbandhan government was committed to creating more jobs to fulfil its promise of providing 10 lakh government jobs by 2025. Besides, the state government was working to create jobs in the private sector, mainly in infrastructure construction and others.

The Mahagathbandhan government gave government employee status to more than 3.5 lakh contractual school teachers in December 2023 – responding to teachers' years-long demand and agitation.

The RJD leader claimed that the Mahagathbandhan government provided nearly five lakh jobs, including distribution of appointment letters to over 2,25,000 newly recruited school teachers during 17 months in power.

Tejashwi Yadav's 10-day long yatra is a first by any political party this year and will conclude on March 1. During the yatra, he will address public meetings in 32 out of 38 districts in the state.

On Wednesday, after addressing public meeting in Muzaffarpur, Yadav will address two meetings in Sitamarhi and Sheohar districts.

Earlier, before leaving Patna for Muzaffarpur, Tejashwi Yadav offered prayers, took the blessings of his father Lalu Prasad, the RJD chief and his mother Rabri Devi, former chief minister. He also spent some time with his 11-month-old daughter before left for the yatra.

On Monday night, Yadav said on social media said that Bihar needed stability and a visionary leadership and Kumar lacked both.

The RJD leader’s  focus on job creation is being seen as a strategic response to counter BJP's Hindutva narrative, which lacks substantial offerings for youths seeking employment.