JD(U), SAD, Shiv Sena left BJP-led NDA to save Constitution, democracy: Tejashwi Yadav
Fatehabad (Haryana), Sep 25: RJD leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said the JD(U), SAD and the Shiv Sena left the BJP-led NDA to save the Constitution and democracy.
Addressing an INLD rally to mark former deputy prime minister Devi Lal's birth anniversary here, he also accused the BJP of making false claims and promises and dubbed the party as "Badka Jhuta Party" (big lying party).
He said Home Minister Amit Shah spoke of an airport in Purnea in Bihar at his recent public meeting there even though there is no airport in the city.
While the grand alliance government in Bihar has kicked off the process of giving over 4.5 lakh jobs, the BJP dispensation at the Centre has been unable to fulfil its job promises, Yadav said.
With Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, Shiromani Akali Dal's Sukhbir Singh Badal and Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant on stage, he noted that they were all members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
They have left the ruling alliance to save the Constitution and democracy, he claimed. Where is the NDA now, he asked.
He alleged that the BJP does not want real issues such as price rise and unemployment to be discussed and instead harp on topics like "Musalmaan, Pakistan, mandir and masjid".
Referring to a popular song of yesteryears, he said "mahangai" (price rise) used to be described as "dayan" (witch) by the BJP when it was in the opposition. "Mahangai" has now become its "bhaujai" (sister-in-law) when it is in power, he said.
The RJD leader called for fighting the BJP, saying those who will be scared of it will be finished while those who take it on will win.
He said Kumar has struck down the BJP with a hammer blow from which it will not be able to recover.
Yadav said the BJP wants everyone except those aligned to it and the RSS to be finished and lauded farmers of Haryana and Punjab, saying they taught the party a lesson, a reference to their protests against the now-repealed farm laws.
The BJP government is selling out all public firms and wanted to sell off farmers' land as well, he alleged and also attacked it for 'agniveer' scheme, a short-term employment programme in the armed forces.
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Nothing wrong if Kharge wants to come back to Karnataka politics: G Parameshwara
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said there is nothing wrong if party national President Mallikarjun Kharge wants to return to state politics.
He was responding to a question from reporters on Kharge's remarks, recalling how he lost the Chief Minister's post to S M Krishna after the 1999 Karnataka Assembly polls. Kharge's remarks added to the speculations of leadership change in Congress and about his return to state politics.
Senior Congress leader Parameshwara also said that wrongly interpreting Kharge is also not correct.
Kharge's statement seems to have rekindled the debate on 'Dalit CM' within the party. The AICC President, who hails from Karnataka, belongs to a Scheduled Caste.
Making a Dalit the CM is a hotly debated matter within the Congress party, the issue on which senior leaders and Ministers Parameshwara and H C Mahadevappa have openly spoken in the past. Both belong to Scheduled Castes.
These comments have come amid speculations within the state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the Chief Minister change later this year, citing a rumoured power-sharing agreement involving incumbent Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.
"Kharge is a senior leader not only in our party, but in national politics, making comments on him is not right. Kharge is competent to hold all kinds of positions; he has experience, and he has been in politics for about 50 years. If he says something, interpreting it wrongly is not correct," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question.
Asked about some speaking about his return to state politics, he said, "There is nothing wrong in it. He is holding the decisive position in our party. He is the one who decides as to who should be the Chief Minister, being the AICC President. So, in case he wants to come back to state politics, no one should interpret it wrong."
Speaking at an event in Vijayapura on Sunday, Kharge had recalled about him missing the Chief Ministerial post, when Congress came to power in 1999.
"As CLP (Congress Legislature Party) leader I tried to bring the party to power (ahead of 1999 polls), the party formed the government and S M Krishna became the Chief Minister. He had come (as KPCC President) four months ahead (of polls)....all my service was washed down the river. I feel that -- I toiled for five years, but the person who came four months ago was made the CM," the Congress chief had said.
"What I'm trying to say is, we may face difficulties, but we must continue to work without greed in mind. If you are greedy, you won't get anything, also you won't be able to do what's in your mind. Passing through all these things, from being a block president, I have now become AICC President. I did not go behind positions," he further said.
Mahadevappa too, reacting to Kharge's statement on Monday had said, Kharge is one of the senior leaders in the country and he has all the required qualities to occupy any constitutional post, and our wish is that he should get an opportunity, whenever there is one.
Naming Dalit leaders in Congress who have occupied the CM post in other states like -- Damodaram Sanjivayya, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Jagannath Pahadia and Ram Sundar Das, he said, "When time comes the party will take a decision and everyone will abide by it."
However, trying to downplay speculations, Kharge's son and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday said his father was merely sharing the path he had walked in his political career -- both ups and downs -- and that his speech should be seen in entirety not selectively. He has also made it clear that he has no regrets.
"From the blessings of everyone, the people of Kalaburagi and Karnataka, he is in the post that was once occupied by Subhas Chandra Bose and Gandhiji. Whatever he has decided on his political future, he will decide himself. He has earned that respect and reputation. He has a good relationship with the high command. Whatever he decides, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will automatically accept it," he said.
