Nitish Kumar slams Lalu Yadav for making wife Bihar CM, questions RJD on women welfare

Continuing his narrative for the upcoming Bihar elections to be "15 years vs 15 years", CM Nitish Kumar took a swipe at former CM and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, asking what did his government do for the upliftment of women except for appointing Lalu Yadav's wife Rabri Devi as the Chief Minister. Though the CM did not take names, he went all guns blazing while comparing the condition of women under the NDA rule and RJD rule. Nitish Kumar, who is the CM face of the NDA, took a dig at RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and LJP chief Chirag Paswan, saying that "those who have no experience are using my name to start their political career and are making statements against me day and night to gain publicity".

READ | Bihar Dy CM frowns upon Mahagatbandhan's manifesto, alleges double standards of RJD & Cong

READ | Bihar polls: LJP backs BJP candidate in Jamui, Paswan calls for 'vote against JD(U)'

After launching a campaign for the upcoming Bihar polls Monday with a virtual rally, Nitish Kumar started touring the state from Wednesday to address public meetings. On Saturday, he held public meetings at Nabinagar, Nokha, Karaghar, and ended at Dinara in Rohtas district. "While the leader at that time installed his wife on the chair (of the chief minister), did he do anything for the welfare of women?"

Nitish was referring to the events that unfolded in 1997. Lalu Prasad Yadav, who became the CM of Bihar in 1990, had to go to jail in 1997 in connection with a multi-crore fodder scam case,  he had then installed his wife Rabri Devi on the chief minister's chair. Nitish Kumar, as leader of the NDA, had thrown the RJD out of power in November 2005 and since then is at the helm of the state affairs. JDU is contesting with BJP on a seat-sharing deal of 122-121 respectively. VIP is also contesting with the NDA. 

READ | Bihar Elections 2020: Congress mulls axing ex-AMU prez Usmani's ticket over 'Jinnah row'

Bihar Elections 2020

The 243 members assembly of Bihar will go to polls in three phases - October 28, November 3, November 7, and the counting of votes will take place on November 10. This year's Bihar elections will witness the clash of as many as five alliances. In the 2015 state polls, the Mahagatbandhan comprising RJD, JD(U) and Congress won a whopping majority with 178 seats under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. On the other hand, the BJP-led alliance won from only 58 constituencies. On July 26, 2017, Nitish Kumar stepped down as the CM citing irreconcilable differences with RJD over corruption allegations against Tejashwi Yadav and joined hands with its former ally BJP.

READ | Bihar Elections: Congress Fields Controversial Ex-AMU Student Union Head Maskoor Usmani