RJD Leader Tejashwi Questions PM Modi’s ‘Shahzada’ Remark After Bihar Cabinet Reshuffle

Patna: A day after Bihar cabinet was expanded giving ministerial berths to sons of three former chief ministers, RJD national working president Tejashwi Yadav lashed out at BJP and its allies on the issue of dynasty politics.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad has been under attack by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promoting his son, Tejashwi, in politics. Modi called Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav “shahzada” on several occasions in his public meetings.

"Who will Prime Minister Narendra Modi call a ‘shahzada’ (prince) now?"

asked Tejashwi while addressing a press conference at the state RJD headquarters.

BJP has now lost the moral right to speak on dynasty politics, he added.

Notably , sons of three former chief ministers – Nitish Kumar, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Jagannath Mishra – have found place in the state cabinet. While it will be the maiden entry of Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant into the state cabinet, Manjhi`s son, Santosh Kumar Suman and Mishra`s son, Nitish Mishra, have already served as ministers. Like Nishant, Rajya Sabha member and former union minister Upendra Kushwaha’s son, Deepak Prakash, is not presently a member of either house of the state legislature, but inducted into the state cabinet. As many as 17 members of council of ministers including chief minister Samrat Choudhary are products of dynasty politics, he alleged.

Tejashwi said that hurling abuses at Lalu Prasad was one thing, but many of the present leaders had come from the “Lalu Pathshala”. He alleged that there were no "original BJP members" left in the BJP and claimed that in the future, the children of both deputy chief ministers would also be seen in politics.

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RJD leader alleged that the BJP got votes from smaller castes but did not give them representation in the cabinet. He said that Lalu gave tickets to many Muslims, but the BJP should explain how many Muslims it had given opportunities.

RJD leader alleged that Bihar still lagged behind in terms of employment, medicine, and income. He claimed that the government was only engrossed in the politics of appointing ministers while there was no discussion on development issues. The government has not done any major work in the last six months, only changing names, he alleged.

Tejashwi also raised the issue of low women's participation in the cabinet.