Patna (Bihar) [India], October 24 : Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai hit out at Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, labelling him as "corrupt", and saying that the latter has been "proven guilty" on corruption charges.
Speaking to ANI, Rai said that Bihar has moved backwards because of Yadav's attempt to "accumulate wealth and build empires" for his family.
"The one who has become synonymous with corruption and the one who has proven guilty on corruption charges, if he is saying such things, it becomes even more shocking. Bihar has gone back many years because of this one person who accumulated immense wealth and built empires for his family. Tejashwi Yadav has proven corruption charges against him, so what is the need to prove that he is not corrupt?" Rai said.
His remarks come after Tejashwi Yadav said that the opposition Mahagathbandhan together will throw out the "useless" 20-year-old double-engine government in the state, where one engine is corrupt. The other is criminal."
"We, the people of Mahagathbandhan, do not just want to form the government or become the CM, but we want to make Bihar, which is why we are together. I thank all the members of the Mahagathbandhan for showing trust in me. I want to assure all of them that I will do everything possible to meet their expectations. Together, we will throw the useless 20-year-old double-engine government, where one engine is corrupt. The other is criminal," Yadav said while addressing a press conference in Patna yesterday.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday slammed Mahagathbandhan's CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav, questioning his credibility in light of his father Lalu Prasad's 32.5-year sentence in the fodder scam cases and Tejashwi's own charges under IPC Section 420.
"PM Modi and Nitish Kumar will develop Bihar with the double-engine government," Prasad said, as the Bihar election battle heats up.
Speaking to ANI, Prasad said, "What is he saying? Does he even understand what he is saying? His father has been sentenced to 32.5 years in jail in four cases of the fodder scam. He is on trial in the CBI Court in Delhi... Tejashwi Yadav is also an accused of Section 420 of the IPC... The people of Bihar are well aware of who has contributed to Bihar's development. PM Modi and Nitish Kumar will develop Bihar. This is the double-engine government."
Janata Dal (United) leader Neeraj Kumar accused the Mahagathbandhan of corruption in seat sharing, stating that there are 243 Assembly seats and the opposition alliance has fielded a total of 255 candidates.
The Mahagathbandhan on Thursday cleared the air regarding its lead face in the alliance, with the declaration of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Bihar Leader of Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial face.
Vikassheel Insaan Party's Mukesh Sahani was declared as the alliance's Deputy CM nominee for the state polls.
The 2025 Bihar elections will have the main contest between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan.
The assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14.