Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary vowed to follow in his predecessor Nitish Kumar’s footsteps and not compromise on “triple c” (corruption, crime, and communalism) as his government won the trust vote in the legislative assembly by voice vote on Friday.
He listed his priorities and said that his office would directly monitor block, circle, and police stations and strive for all-around development with a focus on private investment, infrastructural growth, 11 townships, agriculture, education, and health.
Choudhary said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government under Kumar worked for all sections of society in the last two decades. “While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is striving for a developed India, Nitish Kumar worked for a prosperous Bihar, and the transformative journey of the state under his leadership needs to be continued with greater speed,” he said.
He hit out at Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav for describing him as a “product of Lalu school”. Choudhary said the atrocities he and his family faced at the hands of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav resulted in his elevation to the chief minister’s post.
“In a democracy, people decide who reaches where, and there is no school. The BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] made me state party chief and twice deputy chief minister before elevating me to the position of chief minister. The BJP and NDA are one, contrary to what is portrayed in a section of the media.”
{{/usCountry}}“In a democracy, people decide who reaches where, and there is no school. The BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] made me state party chief and twice deputy chief minister before elevating me to the position of chief minister. The BJP and NDA are one, contrary to what is portrayed in a section of the media.”
{{/usCountry}}He attributed his elevation to Kumar’s willpower. Choudhary said that had Nitish Kumar not been there, Lalu Prasad Yadav would have never become a leader, let alone the chief minister. “It is the mandate of the people that determines who should be in power.”
He lashed out at those accusing him of fudging his age to get out of jail, saying a minor could not be put in prison and passed the legal test up to the Supreme Court. “I have been a six-time minister since 1999, before reaching here as the youngest chief minister. Lalu Prasad was also the youngest, but he did nothing for Bihar’s development.”
Choudhary said their sole focus is on progress, the creation of 10 million jobs, and industrialisation.
Tejashwi Yadav accused the BJP of betraying the mandate and removing Kumar to install a “selected” chief minister in place of an elected one.
Deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary of the Janata Dal (United) said Tejashwi Yadav’s pain was understandable as he could not digest the smooth generational shift after a historic and consistent support for Kumar despite remaining almost two decades in power.
“What happened in Bihar is unparalleled. Nitish Kumar decided to pass on the baton to the next generation at the peak of his popularity, which is an indication of people’s trust due to the transformative journey Bihar under him. The new government will only take it forward. With this kind of public support, Bihar could also witness a transition to the NDA’s third generation. There is nothing unique in the transition. In 2020, Janata Dal (United) had just 43 seats against the BJP’s 74, but Nitish Kumar was requested to continue despite his reluctance.”