RJD hits back after Nitish claims credit for Lalu Prasad Yadav's political success in Bihar Assembly
The political heat in Bihar soared on Wednesday after Rajya Sabha MP and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha took a sharp jibe at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, sarcastically calling him the "creator of the universe" and "Brahma." Jha’s comments come a day after Nitish Kumar triggered controversy by claiming credit for the political rise of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Addressing reporters, Jha remarked, "If Nitish Kumar thinks he made Lalu Ji, then tomorrow he may as well declare that he created the universe. Perhaps we are living in Nitish Kumar's world. He is Brahma now." Jha accused the Bihar chief minister of rewriting political history to suit his narrative after returning to the BJP-led NDA fold.
The controversy began on Tuesday during a fiery exchange in the Bihar assembly. Nitish Kumar, in an apparent dig at former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, said, "It was because of me that his father (Lalu Yadav) became what he is. Had I not supported him back then, where would he be today?"
These remarks have sparked outrage within the RJD. Tejashwi Yadav dismissed Kumar’s comments as "delusional" and accused him of "insulting the legacy of Bihar's social justice movement." Several RJD leaders have since accused Kumar of trying to belittle Lalu Prasad Yadav's independent political journey and mass appeal.
Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar has refrained from clarifying his remarks amid growing backlash. With the Lok Sabha elections approaching, the bitter war of words between former allies Nitish Kumar and the RJD has escalated, signalling heightened political tensions in Bihar.
