Tejashwi Yadav attacks Centre, Bihar govt over floods, demands permanent fix
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday, 3 September launched a sharp attack on both the Bihar state government and the Centre over the worsening flood crisis in the state, alleging that neither had any intent or plan to devise a lasting solution to a disaster that strikes Bihar with near-annual regularity. Speaking in Patna, Yadav called the ground situation 'extremely serious' and demanded immediate, robust rescue and relief arrangements for affected residents.
Flood Crisis: What Tejashwi Said
Yadav alleged that successive governments — both at the state and central level — have consistently failed to adopt a long-term vision for flood management, leaving Bihar's people to face the same catastrophe year after year. He announced plans to personally visit flood-affected parts of his assembly constituency, Raghopur, to assess conditions on the ground and meet residents impacted by the inundation.
He said he would subsequently hold discussions with local officials and the concerned ministers to review the status of relief and rescue operations. Yadav also vowed to raise the matter forcefully before the government and push for concrete measures to ease the hardship of flood-hit communities.
Attack on JD(U) and Nitish Kumar's Party
Yadav broadened his offensive to target the ruling Janata Dal (United), predicting that the party would cease to exist in the near future. He alleged that a faction of leaders within the party was actively working to sideline Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Targeting JD(U) National Working President Sanjay Jha — whom he noted had earlier been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — Yadav alleged that a 'coterie' within the party was preparing to engineer a merger of the JD(U) with the BJP. The allegation, while unverified, adds to the political friction within Bihar's ruling alliance.
Electricity Bills and 'Anti-Poor' Governance
Yadav also described the Bihar state government as 'anti-poor', 'anti-people', and a 'government that peddles lies', specifically over the issue of electricity billing. He questioned the government's widely publicised claim of providing 125 units of free electricity, alleging that ordinary consumers were instead receiving excessively inflated bills.
He accused the government of first raising electricity tariffs and then burdening households with charges that contradict its own welfare promises. Yadav argued that the government was making commitments without delivering meaningful relief to the poor.
GDP Claims and Economic Critique
Widening his critique to national economic policy, Yadav alleged that India continues to lag behind several countries in per capita income, despite the Centre presenting an 'overly positive' picture of the economy. He also took aim at the government's practice of drawing funds from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), describing it as fiscally questionable amid claims of strong economic performance.
What Comes Next
Yadav's Raghopur visit is expected to be followed by a formal representation to the state government on flood relief. With Bihar's flood season far from over, the political pressure on the Nitish Kumar-led administration is likely to intensify as the opposition steps up its ground-level outreach in affected districts.