Don't know what forced 'father figure' Nitish to dump Mahagathbandhan: Tejashwi

Patna, Feb 12 (PTI) RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday said he always considered Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a "father figure", and wondered what forced him to ditch the 'Mahagathbandhan' and return to the BJP-led NDA.

Taking part in the debate on the confidence motion moved by the Kumar-led NDA government in the assembly, Yadav also taunted his ex-boss for having been sworn in "for a record ninth time, and also for the third time within a five-year term, something which has no precedent".

"I always considered Nitish Kumar as 'Dashrath' (character from the epic 'Ramayan'). I don't know what reasons forced him to ditch the 'Mahagathbandhan'," the former deputy CM said.

Yadav, who had been restrained ever since the upheaval a fortnight ago when Kumar made a return to the NDA fold, vented spleen on the floor of the state assembly.

"The BJP was scared of the 'Mahagathbandhan' government in Bihar... Can Prime Minister Narendra Modi guarantee that Nitish Kumar will not do another volte-face?" he said.

"I feel bad for JD(U) MLAs because they will have to go to the people and answer. If someone asks you why Nitish Kumar took oath three times, what will you say? Earlier you used to criticise them (BJP) and now you are praising them, what will you say?" said the RJD leader.

Yadav called himself "nephew" of Kumar and asserted that he would stop the BJP in Bihar.

"We are from a Samajwadi (socialist) family. You had carried the flag to stop Modi in the country, now your nephew will carry the flag to stop Modi in Bihar. (Aap jo jhanda le kar ke chale the ki Modi ko desh mein rokna hain, ab aapka bhateeja jhanda utha kar ke Modi ko Bihar mein rokne ka kaam karega)," he said.

On conferring Bharat Ratna to former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur (posthumously), the RJD leader welcomed it but alleged that the BJP gives Bharat Ratna "to strike a deal in exchange for votes".

"I am happy that Karpoori Thakur got (Bharat Ratna)... but the BJP has made Bharat Ratna a deal... a deal in exchange for votes," he said.

"When Karpoori Thakur had increased the (quantum of) reservation in the state, Jan Sangh had removed Karpooriji from the post of the chief minister. And you (Nitish) are sitting with them!" Yadav said.

"We will always respect you (Nitish Kumar). When you came out of Raj Bavan after tendering your resignation (after breaking alliance with Mahagathbandhan), you had said that 'mann nahin lag raha tha' (was not liking it)," the RJD leader said.

"You should have told us what was the difficulty...'hum log koi naachne gaane ke liye thode hi the' (we were not there to dance on your tunes... we were there to support you," he added. PTI NAC PKD ACD