PM cancelled Bihar tour fearing BJP defeat in Bankipur bypoll: Tejashwi Yadav

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cancelled his planned Bihar visit after sensing a BJP defeat in the Bankipur assembly bypoll. He also accused the state government of acting under pressure following protests over the NEET paper leak.

Patna:  RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “cancelled his tour of Bihar” upon realising that the student unrest and the “growing unpopularity” of his government would lead to the BJP’s defeat in the Bankipur assembly bypoll.

There has been no word from the BJP government in the state on the PM’s tour.

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However, Yadav, who is the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, claimed that Modi had planned to visit the state to inaugurate a bridge.

Reacting to the BJP’s intensive campaign for the July 30 bypoll to the assembly seat vacated by its national president Nitin Nabin, the RJD leader said, “It is a high-stakes battle that they (BJP) are certain to lose.”

“People might not be aware that the Prime Minister had planned to chip in. He was scheduled to visit Bihar to inaugurate a bridge, but he cancelled his tour upon realising that his party was going to lose,” Yadav alleged.

Although the RJD has fielded Rekha Gupta, the runner-up in last year’s assembly polls, the by-election is being seen as a straight contest between Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor and BJP nominee Neera Kumar Sinha, a low-profile leader of the party’s youth wing.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the RJD’s campaign, Yadav claimed, “Growing unpopularity in the wake of brutal repression of protesters has led the Bihar government to order the withdrawal of cases against the demonstrators and the release of those arrested in connection with the protests.”

The Bihar government on Monday announced that it will withdraw all cases lodged against protesters over the NEET paper leak and release those jailed under various charges.

“This is not enough. I still stand by my demand for a judicial inquiry into the conduct of police personnel who fired from an AK-47 rifle at the protesters on July 25,” the RJD national working president claimed.

Yadav was referring to an incident in Siwan district on Saturday when Left-wing student unions had called a Bihar bandh in protest against the NEET question paper leak.

Although no person was injured in the firing, the police constable concerned has been placed under suspension.

The RJD leader, whose party at present stands decimated in the assembly, also promised a pension to all those who were arrested during the recent student protests, on the lines of pensions given to ‘JP Senanis’, if he comes to power.

‘JP Senanis’ are political activists who had been imprisoned during the Emergency for supporting socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan’s movement.