Where is Nitish Kumar? Why not at PM Modi's rallies: Tejashwi Yadav

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday questioned the absence of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar from the BJP's election rallies in the state.

The former deputy chief minister made the remark while referring to the absence of Kumar, the Janata Dal (United) president, from rallies addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Gaya and Purnea earlier in the day.

"Where is Nitish Kumar ji? Why is the BJP not inviting him to its rallies? He could not be seen at either rally of the PM on Tuesday. I still have respect for the CM... BJP, which is his current ally, needs to come clean on the matter," Yadav, whose RJD lost power after Kumar's return to the NDA in January, told reporters in Patna in the evening.

Retorting sharply to the PM's charge that the RJD was against development and his question whether the party's election symbol lantern could charge a smartphone, Yadav said, "What does it mean? Can the mud in which lotus (BJP poll symbol) grows be used to charge mobile phones?"

On the PM's charge that opposition leaders, including those of the RJD and the Congress, were spreading lies regarding the Constitution, Yadav said, "Almost all BJP candidates are saying the saffron party will change the Constitution when Modi comes to power for the third term. Why is the PM not taking action against them?

"Why is he (PM) not talking about price rise, providing employment to youths, reducing poverty, bringing back black money back to India? They only talk about Hindu-Muslim. While we talk about distributing pens among the youth, BJP leaders, including the PM, talk about giving swords to job seekers. They (BJP leaders) can't evade issues related to the masses," he added.

Speaking at an election rally earlier, Yadav also accused PM Modi of "exploiting emotions in the name of religion, patriotism and nation", and asked why personnel of paramilitary forces like the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), CISF (Central Industrial Security Force), ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police), SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal) and Assam Rifles are not given “martyr” status if they lose their lives in the line of duty.

"Have they taken any care of the families of the brave martyrs of Pulwama? Will simply raising their heels and shouting empty slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' do any good to the soldiers and jawans?" he asked.

With inputs from PTI