The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Patna): In a press interaction in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, expressed his concerns over the prolonged delay in the expansion of the cabinet under Nitish Kumar’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. He emphasized that the Chief Minister of Bihar is no longer being taken seriously by the people or even by members of his own party, the Janata Dal (United).
Yadav highlighted the state government’s inefficiency, particularly noting that crucial decisions and tasks have been postponed. “The expansion of the cabinet hasn’t been addressed for over a month. What’s causing this delay? Vital operations are being hindered. The Chief Minister needs to provide explanations for these delays,” Yadav stated.
Furthermore, Yadav pointed out a significant issue regarding the school timings in Bihar. He claimed that despite Nitish Kumar’s announcement in the Vidhan Sabha to modify school timings, especially during the cold wave, no action has been taken. According to Yadav, a government official is not aligning with the Chief Minister’s opinion, which has led to a stalemate on this decision. “This clearly demonstrates that Nitish Kumar isn’t receiving the due seriousness as Chief Minister. The general public and party leaders are disillusioned with his leadership,” Yadav added.
Yadav also commented on the statement made by Jitan Ram Manjhi, founder of Hindustani Awam Morcha. Manjhi had mentioned that his support for Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister was a repayment of a favor. Yadav agreed with Manjhi’s remarks, noting that the RJD had previously appointed Manjhi as Chief Minister despite his party being the third largest. He further criticized the current scenario where a party with merely four MLAs played a pivotal role in making Nitish Kumar the Chief Minister, highlighting the political shifts in the state.
Previously, in January, Nitish Kumar had distanced himself from the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar and the national coalition, after feeling sidelined for not being named the convenor of INDIA, a newly formed opposition bloc. Subsequently, he formed a new government in Bihar with the support of the BJP-led NDA. This government later secured a win in the Bihar Assembly floor test with 129 MLAs, just above the majority mark of 122, aided by the defection of three RJD MLAs to the NDA.