Janata Dal (United) chief spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar launched a pointed attack on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) National Working President Tejashwi Yadav and the Lalu Prasad Yadav family at a press conference in Patna on Friday, 12 June, accusing the opposition leader of spreading misinformation and demanding a high-level investigation into an alleged jewellery controversy at the Rabri residence.

The Toilet Cost Dispute

At the centre of the political exchange is a claim by Tejashwi Yadav that ₹7 lakh was spent on a single VVIP toilet during Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Pragati Yatra. Neeraj Kumar flatly rejected this figure, stating that four toilets were constructed at a combined cost of approximately ₹4 lakh — roughly ₹1.56 lakh per unit.

Kumar, who mockingly referred to Tejashwi as 'Twitter Babua' (Twitter Boy), alleged that the RJD leader lacked accurate ground-level information because he 'rarely stayed in Bihar.' The JD-U spokesperson noted that Tejashwi had chosen to raise the issue on what was also Lalu Prasad Yadav's birthday — an occasion Kumar opened his remarks by marking with birthday wishes and prayers for Lalu's health.

A Counter-Charge From the Mahagathbandhan Era

Kumar sharpened his counter-attack by pointing to the previous Mahagathbandhan government, during which Tejashwi Yadav served as Deputy Chief Minister. He claimed that during the Samadhan Yatra of that administration, approximately ₹1.73 lakh was allegedly spent on constructing a single toilet — a figure higher per unit than what he attributed to the Pragati Yatra. Kumar questioned why Tejashwi had raised no objections at that time, framing the current criticism as selective and politically motivated.

The Rabri Jewellery Controversy

The press conference also addressed a separate and escalating controversy centred on former Chief Minister Rabri Devi and her residence at 10 Circular Road, Patna. The dispute was triggered after Bhojpuri singer Chhotu Chhaliya claimed, during Lalu Prasad Yadav's birthday celebrations, that Rabri Devi had gifted him a pair of diamond bangles in appreciation of his performance.

Neeraj Kumar cited conflicting public statements from RJD MLC Sunil Kumar Singh and Chhotu Chhaliya, sarcastically questioning whether Rabri Devi had 'mistaken an ordinary stone for a diamond.' He argued that the contradictory accounts from within the RJD itself had deepened confusion over the authenticity and origin of the jewellery.

EOW Probe Demanded

Calling the matter a 'serious financial mystery,' Kumar announced he would write to the Economic Offences Unit (EOW) demanding a high-level investigation into the jewellery and assets reportedly surfacing from the Rabri residence. He called on all those linked to the controversy to publicly clarify the facts.

What Comes Next

The JD-U's twin offensive — on toilet expenditure and the jewellery row — signals an intensifying political battle ahead of Bihar's electoral cycle. The RJD is yet to formally respond to Kumar's EOW demand. Whether the Economic Offences Unit takes up the matter will be closely watched in the coming days.