'Nitish Kumar’s govt a Mercedes, not a stolen car': JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha hits out at Tejashwi over RJD's legacy

JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha at News18 Rising Bharat Summit

JD(U) MP and party’s national working president Sanjay Jha on Wednesday defended Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s recent remarks on RJD leader Rabri Devi, stating that his comments were misinterpreted by the RJD-led opposition for political gain.

Responding to a query on the recent spat between Kumar and Rabri Devi in the Assembly, Jha, while speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit, said: "He didn't say anything inappropriate, he was speaking on dynasty politics. He said that when the opportunity arrives, Lalu Yadav didn't let it go outside his family. Secondly what he said, which they are presently in a wrong way, was that... some truths need to be told. Do you know how much road was there when Nitish Kumar got Bihar in his hands? The only thing to talk about in Bihar was abductions. Good doctors, businessmen fled away. People refrained from building lavish houses despite having money, they didn't buy cars out of fear..."

"Nitish Kumar took Bihar from there and transformed from there and transformed it completely. He is the architect of new Bihar," he added.

On Tejashwi Yadav's "Nitish Kumar's government is like a 20-year-old car" remark, Jha said: "His (referring to Tejashwi) car is the same... people used to steal the cars from showrooms, they are part of those cars only. Nitish ji's car is Mercedes and people of Bihar know which car to sit in..." Jha said.

Last month, the Bihar Legislative Council had turned into a battleground after Nitish Kumar and Leader of the Opposition Rabri Devi engaged in a heated exchange. The JD(U) supremo took a sharp dig at the former chief minister, dismissing her as politically irrelevant except for being the wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Rabri Devi took over as Bihar’s chief minister in 1997 after Lalu Prasad was forced to step down following his charge-sheeting in the fodder scam.