As the race for Bihar’s next Chief Minister heats up, the focus has shifted to the fitness of two prominent political figures: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Yadav.
The discussion gained momentum after Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, recently urged the public to support his father in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, stating that Nitish Kumar is “100 per cent fit.” In response, Tejashwi Yadav, RJD leader and Lalu Yadav’s son, countered by claiming that his father, Lalu Yadav, is “fitter” than Nitish Kumar.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Tejashwi Yadav suggested that Nishant Kumar should be more concerned about past comments from leaders of the JD(U)-led alliance regarding Nitish Kumar’s health. He pointed out that figures like Chirag Paswan had previously questioned Nitish Kumar’s mental stability, while others like Jitan Ram Manjhi and Vijay Sinha had raised concerns about his health.
“Nishant Kumar should think about what people like Chirag Paswan, Samrat Chaudhary, Vijay Sinha, and even Jitan Ram Manjhi said about Nitish Kumar’s health. Chirag Paswan once said he is not mentally stable, and Manjhi ji said he is not healthy,” Yadav said.
Tejashwi Yadav further emphasized his father’s contributions to Bihar, stating that Lalu Yadav has done more for the state than anyone else. “Lalu Prasad Yadav worked for social justice and secured a package of Rs 1.65 lakh crore for Bihar from the Centre. No one has done more for Bihar than Lalu Yadav,” he asserted.
In response to Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit to Bhagalpur, Yadav took a jibe at the NDA, saying, “Now, every day someone will visit Bihar. The Delhi elections are over, and now everyone is coming to Bihar. They don’t care about the people of Bihar; they only care about power.”
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit Bhagalpur on February 24 to address a rally at the Airport Ground, where he will distribute the 19th installment of the Kisan Samman Nidhi and engage with around 5 lakh farmers. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will accompany the Prime Minister for the event, which aims to focus on farmers’ welfare and prosperity.
