Chirag, Tejashwi taunt Nitish as he begins a new term as Bihar CM

As Nitish Kumar took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the sixth time, taunts came rushing from the RJD and LJP camps to rub salt on his wounds, i.e. the significant dip in seats that has accorded it the status of a junior ally of BJP, a reversal of fortunes.

The new generation of leaders sitting on the party thrones, Tejashwi Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal and Chirag Paswan of Lok Janshakti Party, reminded him of his party’s status and that he has become the chief minister only at the mercy of his other ally.

Tweeting to offer congratulations to Nitish on being sworn as the chief minister, Paswan didn’t forget to take a swipe at him. In his carefully drafted words was a congratulatory message for the BJP too, for “making” Nitish “Chief Minister”.

आदरणीय @NitishKumar जी को फिर से मुख्यमंत्री बनने की बधाई। आशा करता हूँ सरकार अपना कार्यकाल पुरा करेगी और आप एन॰डी॰ए॰ के ही मुख्यमंत्री बने रहेंगे।

— युवा बिहारी चिराग पासवान (@iChiragPaswan) November 16, 2020

4 लाख बिहारीयों द्वारा बनाया गया #बिहार1stबिहारी1st विजन डॉक्यूमेंट आप को भेज रहा हूँ ताकी उसमें से भी जो कार्य आप पुरा कर सकें वह कर दें। एक बार पुनः आप को मुख्यमंत्री बनने की और भारतीय जनता पार्टी को आप को मुख्यमंत्री बनाने के लिए बधाई।https://t.co/kZvjg56fRZ

— युवा बिहारी चिराग पासवान (@iChiragPaswan) November 16, 2020

“Congratulations to Nitish Kumarji for becoming Chief Minister again. I hope the government will complete its tenure and you will continue to be Chief Minister of the NDA,” Paswan said in a tweet. In another tweet, he said, “Made by 4 lakh Biharis, I am sending the vision document (the LJP’s election manifesto – “Bihar First, Bihari First”) to you… whatever work you can complete from it, do it. Congratulations once again on becoming Chief Minister and (to) the BJP for making you Chief Minister.”

Meanwhile, Tejashwi, whose RJD has emerged as the single largest party in Bihar assembly, termed it the “nomination” of Nitish Kumar as the chief minister.

आदरणीय श्री नीतीश कुमार जी को मुख्यमंत्री ‘मनोनीत’ होने पर शुभकामनाएँ। आशा करता हूँ कि कुर्सी की महत्वाकांक्षा की बजाय वो बिहार की जनाकांक्षा एवं NDA के 19 लाख नौकरी-रोजगार और पढ़ाई, दवाई, कमाई, सिंचाई, सुनवाई जैसे सकारात्मक मुद्दों को सरकार की प्राथमिकता बनायेंगे।

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) November 16, 2020

“Good wishes to honourable Mr Nitish Kumar on being nominated as chief minister. I hope that instead of fulfilling aspirations of the chair, he’ll make aspirations of the people of Bihar and 19 lakh jobs promised by the NDA, and positive issues such as education, medicines, employment-earning, irrigation and addressing people’s concern as priorities of the government,” tweeted the RJD head.

भाजपा मनोनीत मुख्यमंत्री के तौर पर शपथ लेने पर @NitishKumar जी को बधाई।

With a tired and politically belittled leader as CM, #Bihar should brace for few more years of lacklustre governance.

— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) November 16, 2020

The JD(U) boss also earned a similar jibe from his former number 2, election strategist Prashant Kishor. “Congratulations to Nitish Kumar for taking oath as the BJP-nominated chief minister. With a tired and politically belittled leader as CM, #Bihar should brace for few more years of lacklustre governance,” he said in a tweet.

Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) won 43 seats in the recently concluded Bihar assembly elections and his party’s alliance with BJP scored a narrow win with 125 seats, just three more than the 122-majority mark. In the alliance, the BJP with 74 seats emerged the senior ally.

This was a significant fall for Nitish since in 2015, his party had won 71 seats and was the senior ally as against BJP’s 53 seats.

Related news | Nitish Kumar sworn in, wears the Bihar crown for the 7th time