A fresh political confrontation has erupted in Bihar after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar claimed that he played a key role in making Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav the Chief Minister. In response, Lalu Yadav’s son and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav hit back, asserting that it was, in fact, he who helped Nitish Kumar retain the Chief Minister’s post twice and saved his party in the process.
Speaking at a rally in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav dismissed Nitish Kumar’s claim and provided a sharp counter-narrative. “Yesterday, Nitish Kumar said in the Assembly that he made Lalu Yadav the Chief Minister. But Nitish Kumar should remember that my father was already an MLA twice and had been elected as an MP before him. Forget about Lalu Yadav—Lalu Ji has played a role in making many Prime Ministers. It was me who made him (Nitish Kumar) CM twice and saved his party,” Tejashwi said.
His remarks refer to the 2015 Bihar Assembly elections when the RJD emerged as the single largest party with 80 seats in the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan), while Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) secured 71 seats. Despite RJD having more seats, the party allowed Nitish Kumar to continue as Chief Minister as part of the alliance arrangement. In 2022, after breaking ties with the BJP, Nitish Kumar once again joined the Mahagathbandhan and was again given the Chief Minister’s position with Tejashwi Yadav as his deputy.
Senior RJD leader Manoj Jha also lashed out at Nitish Kumar, expressing concern over his recent statements. “I am worried about Nitish Kumar now. It is unfortunate that he is speaking in such a way. He was once considered part of Lalu Ji’s political circle, and people referred to him as Lalu Ji’s man,” Jha said. He further added that Tejashwi Yadav had, in a composed manner, analyzed history and political challenges without any bitterness, whereas Nitish Kumar failed to respond with substance.
Nitish Kumar had stirred controversy on Tuesday during his speech in the Bihar Assembly, where he claimed that he played a crucial role in making Lalu Prasad Yadav the Chief Minister in 1990. He stated that even members of Lalu Yadav’s own caste were reluctant to support him, but he backed Lalu’s leadership at the time. He also recalled the political tussle between Lalu Yadav and Ram Sundar Das for the Chief Ministerial position, implying that his influence helped Lalu Yadav secure the role.
The political rivalry between Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar has been one of the defining dynamics of Bihar politics. Both leaders began their journey together in the 1974 student agitation led by Jayaprakash Narayan, but their paths diverged over time. When Janata Dal won the Bihar elections in 1990, Nitish Kumar was part of Lalu Yadav’s core team. However, by 1994, Nitish Kumar split from Lalu’s party, forming the Samata Party with George Fernandes, leading to decades of political competition between them, interrupted only by brief alliances such as the Mahagathbandhan.
This latest exchange of remarks highlights the continued tensions between the two leaders, with Bihar’s political landscape once again witnessing sharp verbal attacks between allies-turned-rivals.
