There won't be any impact of Delhi polls in Bihar: Tejashwi Yadav
Patna, Feb 9 (PTI): RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday dismissed suggestions that the BJP's stupendous victory in the Delhi assembly polls will have an impact in Bihar where elections are due later this year.
The former deputy chief minister of Bihar also said that a return to power "after nearly 26 years" made it incumbent upon the BJP to fulfil the promises made to the people of Delhi.
Yadav, who is now the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, briefly replied to questions from journalists about the verdict in Delhi where INDIA bloc partner Aam Aadmi Party was voted out of power.
"In a democracy, the people are supreme (janta maalik hai). The BJP has been voted to power after nearly 26 years. Hopefully, promises made to the people will be fulfilled and there will not be empty rhetoric (jumlebaazi)," Yadav said.
The RJD leader, whose party has won the highest number of seats in the last two assembly polls in Bihar, was also asked about the claim of the BJP and its allies that upcoming elections in the state will benefit the NDA as there was a momentum in favour of the ruling coalition.
The young leader remarked dismissively, "Bihar is Bihar. It needs to be understood (Bihar Bihar hai... samajhna padega)."
The NDA is headed in Bihar by JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar who has been the chief minister since 2005, except for a brief period when the reins were handed over to Jitan Ram Manjhi.
The tenure of Kumar, who will run for a fifth consecutive term in office this year, has also been marked by two short-lived alliances with the RJD.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
