Tejashwi failed to come clean on CBI charges, say JD(U), BJP

The BJP’s Bihar chief Nityanand Rai termed as a “flop show” the ‘Desh Bachao, BJP Bhagao’ opposition rally sponsored by RJD president Lalu Prasad.

RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav had promised he would use the opportunity of the ‘people’s court’ on August 27 to come clean on the CBI charges. Yet, he did not, an aggressive BJP and JD(U) said on Sunday.

Lalu Prasad’s younger son and Bihar’s former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav speaks at the RJD rally in Patna on Sunday. (HT photo / Santosh Kumar)

“He has nothing to say on it. He is guilty. What can he explain?” asked BJP state chief Nityanand Rai, terming as a “flop show” Sunday’s ‘Desh Bachao, BJP Bhagao’ opposition rally sponsored by RJD president Lalu Prasad.

Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi added, “Despite the declaration made by the RJD president that 25 lakh people would turn up at his rally, not even half of the Gandhi Maidan was filled up, and there was hardly any presence of women and minorities.”

BJP leader Modi said that except West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, all the dignitaries who were present on the dais, were “purv” (former chief ministers and ministers) and they would remain so.

He wondered about the absence of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and BSP leader Mayawati at the rally.

An RJD worker with the party symbol lantern painted on his chest at the RJD rally in Patna on Sunday. (HT photo / Santosh Kumar)

Sushil Modi said Tejashwi should have explained to the people as to how he came into the ownership of 26 benami properties by the age of 26.

“He should have also made it clear at the rally ground under what circumstances dozens of leaders like Raghunath Jha and Kanti Devi donated their assets to him,” Modi added.

The deputy chief minister said that even after being sentenced in the fodder scam case, Lalu Prasad had not learnt the lesson.

Terming the programme a “politically flop rally”, JD (U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said not only women and minorities, but people belonging to the backward classes virtually remained absent from the Gandhi Maidan.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, along with RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party at the RJD rally in Patna. (HT photo / Santosh Kumar)

“This is an irony that while 18 districts of north Bihar are reeling from the floods, former deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav chose not to speak even a single word on the deluge,” said Neeraj Kumar.

This showed how insensitive the RJD was towards the condition of the flood-affected people, he added.

Mangal Pandey, former BJP state president and in-charge of party affairs in Himachal Pradesh, said that throughout the rally, Lalu Prasad sought to make an attempt to cover up the corruption charges levelled against him and his family members.

The RJD president also used the rally to set up a base for his sons in politics, where he miserably failed, said Pandey.

The BJP leader claimed that to attract crowds, the RJD organised various forms of entertainment, and spent lavishly on their food and stay in the state capital.

The organisers spent crores of rupees on transporting the crowds to Patna, while ignoring the plight of the flood-hit people, he added.

Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai added, “It was not a rally but a gathering of desperate leaders and workers of the RJD.”

Road construction minister Nand Kishore Yadav said the opposition unity proved to be a myth, as leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mayawati were conspicuous by their absence.