Tejashwi Yadav warn of action against saboteurs; predicts early election in Bihar

The RJD emerged as the single-largest party in the November assembly elections with 75 seats but the alliance it led failed to get the required numbers to form the government

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has warned those who “sabotaged” the party’s prospects in the October-November assembly elections in Bihar of action while asking its workers to keep their morale high and be ready for an early election.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. (ANI File)

In his address to RJD functionaries and assembly election contestants on Monday, Yadav said the party’s jailed chief Lalu Prasad has asked him to revamp the party and take action against all those who spoiled the party’s chances of returning to power. He asked the state president to take action against all those who worked against the party’s candidates.

The RJD emerged as the single-largest party in the elections with 75 seats but the alliance it led failed to get the required numbers to form the government. The National Democratic Alliance returned to power with a wafer-thin majority of 125 seats in the 243-member Bihar assembly. The RJD-led alliance got 110 seats.

The RJD has removed its Darbhanga district president after an audio of his campaigning against the party’s candidate went viral.

“It is easier to fight the opponents but difficult to deal with back-stabbers in the party who damage the party intentionally,” said Yadav. “Everyone wants to contest polls. ...many sitting MLAs [members of legislative assembly] were also denied tickets. But party leaders should desist from sabotaging. Anybody who works against the party will face action.” Yadav also announced a divisional level review of the loss.

Some RJD leaders blamed the party’s alliance partners for the loss but Yadav desisted from making any direct comments about that. “Many compromises need to be made in alliance politics,” he said.

Yadav asked his party members to continue interacting with the people as elections might be held again as early as 2021. “Bihar may face election anytime. Even as early as 2021,” he said.

Yadav announced a thanksgiving campaign after January 14 to express gratitude to the voters who stood by it. He said the RJD will speak about issues like irrigation, unemployment, education, etc during the campaign. Yadav attacked the Bihar government over the law-and-order situation and asked where is good governance. “Murder, rape, and loot have become the order of the day in Bihar.”

He urged his party members not to be demoralised as the RJD-led alliance failed to form the government by a whisker. “We failed to form the government by just 12,500 votes. Voters gave us the mandate but the EC [Election Commission] failed us. We will go out to thank people.”