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HT Interview: Alliance is back to fight those spreading hatred, says Tejashwi Prasad Yadav
A day after he took oath as a minister in the newly created Mahagatbandhan (Grand Alliance, GA) government in Bihar in a week that has seen chief minister Nitish Kumar walk out of his alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and embrace his old foe-turned-friend the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said that the socialists have come together to uphold democracy and “fight against forces spreading hate and communalism”.
A day after he took oath as a minister in the newly created Mahagatbandhan (Grand Alliance, GA) government in Bihar in a week that has seen chief minister Nitish Kumar walk out of his alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and embrace his old foe-turned-friend the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said that the socialists have come together to uphold democracy and “fight against forces spreading hate and communalism”.
Yadav, 32, the de facto chief of the RJD, who is set to be deputy chief minister for the second time, the first of which was also of a similar Grand Alliance government which Kumar walked out of in 2017, said in an interview to HT that he had grown as a leader since his last experience, and the new government would focus on health, education and employment.
Yadav said that “the present political situation and current circumstances” had brought the RJD-JD(U) together, despite their acrimony over the past five years. “The BJP is keen to wipe out the Opposition and crush democracy. We, the RJD and JD(U) are all socialists and share the legacy of Ram Manohar Lohia and former chief minister Karpoori Thakur. We have the responsibility to uphold democracy and fight against the forces spreading hatred and communalism,” Yadav said.
Even as the political moves in Bihar have set off speculation that Kumar may be the united Opposition’s face going into the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with the chief minister himself saying that it was not certain that those “who came in 2014” would still remain in 2024, Yadav said he could not comment immediately, but that it was true that Kumar is one of the most “experienced chief ministers in the country”.
“As far as Mahagathbandhan being a formidable force, I feel the vote share of the GA has increased and the Opposition forces would unite more strongly. The BJP will get a befitting reply from people and face defeat in 2024 polls,” Yadav said.
He added said that he had gained experience and maturity since his previous tenure as deputy chief minister, and would work towards Bihar’s all-round development. “Now, when I have had a stint as leader of the Opposition for many years and have steered my party during the elections, I am more experienced and will strive to speed up the development momentum in the state,” Yadav said.
Asked when the first cabinet expansion in the state could be expected, Yadav said it would be held “soon”, after speaking to every constituent of the alliance.
“The chief minister will take a call on it. We will give our list,” Yadav said.
