Patna witnessed a fresh political storm on Sunday as the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) trained its guns on Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly, over his foreign visit during an ongoing legislative session. BJP minister Pramod Kumar led the charge, demanding a thorough government inquiry into the details of Yadav's trip abroad.
Minister Calls for Government Probe
Speaking to reporters, Pramod Kumar, who holds the portfolios for the cooperative department and the environment, forest and climate change department, called for an investigation into Tejashwi Yadav's foreign tour. He drew a parallel to the ongoing probe into the assets of the Yadav family. The minister emphasized that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had failed to provide a clear statement regarding the leader's whereabouts.
"The way his family assets are being investigated, the government should also inquire where the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly stayed for such a long period, whom he met, and what he did on foreign soil," Kumar stated. He stressed the constitutional significance of the post Yadav holds, noting that his prolonged absence was not explained to the people of the state.
Alliance Partners Criticize "Non-Serious" Approach
The Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), a key constituent of the NDA, echoed the criticism. The party's national spokesperson, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, labeled Tejashwi Yadav as a "non-serious" leader. He pointed out that the position of the Leader of the Opposition is crucial in a democracy, equivalent in importance to the ruling party. Prasad expressed dismay that Yadav had "suddenly disappeared" from the running House session, leaving a vacuum. He added that while various speculations were circulating, the RJD had not offered any satisfactory clarification for the absence.
RJD's Sharp Retort and Counter-Threat
The RJD responded sharply to the NDA's allegations. Ranvijay Sahu, the party's general secretary and Morwa MLA, defended Tejashwi Yadav, asserting that the people of Bihar had reposed their faith in him and that he would live up to their expectations. Sahu turned the tables on the ruling coalition, indicating that the opposition's focus remained on public issues.
"The ruling coalition should not worry. We will very soon launch an agitation over people's issues such as migration, corruption, unemployment, and the deteriorating law and order situation," Sahu declared. This statement sets the stage for increased political confrontation in the state, shifting the debate from Yadav's travel to the government's performance on key socio-economic fronts.
The controversy erupted amid talks of Tejashwi Yadav returning from a foreign tour. The core allegation from the NDA is that the opposition leader left for abroad in the middle of the session of the newly constituted Bihar assembly, raising questions about his commitment and priorities.
