New Delhi: While describing Nitish Kumar's return to the "socialist family" as a "slap in the face of the BJP," Bihar's new deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said on Friday that the BJP's attempt to "intimidate or buy out" regional parties is aimed at "finishing off the politics of backward classes and Dalits" as most of the regional parties represent weaker sections of the society.
Citing family and ideological ties with Nitish Kumar, who revived the JDU-RJD-Congress 'Mahagathbandhan' after dumping the BJP earlier this week, Tejashwi said, "In Bihar, all parties against the BJP are now on the same side. Nitishji made the right decision at the right time. This will happen across India now."
On questions about his promise of jobs, he said that it's good that while keeping aside "communal politics of Hindu-Muslim divide," the BJP is finally talking about real issues.
"We have forced them into addressing these issues. We will keep our promise. Just wait a little bit," he assured. However, he failed to elaborate about any proposed model to accomplish his 'job to youth' promise.
The Yadav scion stressed that he's walking the path of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is recuperating from medical issues in Delhi. "My father has fought communal forces all his life, fought for social justice and for the poor.
Woh na dare, na jhuke," he said, adding that Nitish Kumar, too, "saved his ideology" with the decision to switch back to alliance
with RJD.
As Tejashwi's Delhi visit is linked to finalising the names for ministers in the new Bihar government, he met CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in this context.
As per Tejashwi, all leaders hailed the decision taken by Nitish Kumar to dump BJP and revive the Grand Alliance.
Citing an instance of bonhomie even when they were on opposite sides in the Assembly, Tejashwi said that once during a lot of chaos in the House, he called me his "bhai samaan dost ka beta" (son of a brother-like friend).
"Another time, he told me "Babu baith jao" (sit down, son) — it was like an instruction, but also love, like a blessing. I sat down," Tejashwi Yadav said.