"Real 'double engine' in Bihar is crime, corruption": Tejashwi Yadav after Mahagathbandhan meet

Patna (Bihar) [India], April 17 (ANI): After the first meeting of the Bihar Mahagathbandhan, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav sharply criticised the state government for its handling of critical issues such as poverty, unemployment, and migration and stated that the real 'double engine' in Bihar is -- crime and corruption.
Speaking to the media today, Tejashwi Yadav said, "The first meeting of Mahagathbandhan was held today regarding the situation in Bihar. We discussed matters related to poverty, unemployment, and migration. There is a lot of anger among the people of Bihar against the government, which has been in power for the last 20 years."
"Bihar is number one in crime, unemployment and migration of labour. There is no law and order in the state. PM Modi and the Home Minister keep coming to Bihar, and they should answer what is happening in Bihar....The real double engine in Bihar is - crime and corruption," he stated.

Speaking over the meeting of Bihar Mahagathbandhan in view of Bihar polls this year, Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan said, "The Coordination Committee (of the alliance) will work to take things forward. There was no discussion on it (seat sharing for Bihar polls)."

Vikassheel Insaan Party's Mukesh Sahani also spoke to the media over the meeting of Bihar Mahagathbandhan and said, "We will fight together. Two leaders from each party will be a part of the Coordination Committee under the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav. Lalu ji ki vichaar dhara wala sarkaar banegi iss baar."
Leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation and other opposition parties convened at the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) headquarters in Patna on Thursday to begin discussions within the Mahagathbandhan alliance.
The meeting involved more formal deliberations, focusing primarily on seat-sharing arrangements and the formulation of a Common Minimum Programme ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar.
Earlier today, Tejashwi Yadav met with Congress to strategise the agenda for winning the upcoming Bihar election.
"These leaders will meet, but it is not going to get hearts completely. The Congress party is divided against itself. The Congress party is not ready to consider Tejashwi Yadav a leader, and Tejashwi Yadav is not ready to give seventy seats to the Congress party," he added.
He also pointed to internal contradictions within the alliance. Hussain further claimed, "This time, the RJD is going to get less than twenty-three seats. And our alliance, which will fight under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, is going to cross 200. We are definitely going to form the government in Bihar."
Slamming the INDIA alliance, Union Minister Nityanand Rai too called the meeting the "Ghamandia" alliance.
He claimed that Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) were in an internal conflict and that Tejashwi Yadav was engaged in corrupt, dynasty-based politics. He also criticised Congress for promoting Kanhaiya Kumar, referring to him as a leader of what he termed the "Bharat Tere Tukde Honge" group.
"It is the meeting of the 'Ghamandia' alliance. There is a clash between Tejashwi Yadav and Congress. Tejashwi Yadav is leading an extremely corrupt political dynasty. Kanhaiya Kumar, promoted by the Congress, is the leader of the 'Bharat Tere Tukde honge' gang," Rai said.
A high-stakes battle is expected to take place in Bihar, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising Janata Dal (United) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Bharatiya Janata Party, competing against the Mahagathbandhan, comprising the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and left parties. The Bihar Assembly elections are due to be held later this year. (ANI)