RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday quipped that his party is not just for M-Y, referring to Muslims and Yadavs, but also for the backwards, women and poor.
Yadav was speaking at the 'Jan Vishwas Rally' of the opposition in Patna, where he was joined by his father Lalu Prasad Yadav, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge.
While addressing the people at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Some people say ours is a party of MY-Muslim and Yadav. I want to say our party is of MY and BAAP-B for Bahujan, A for agda, A for aadhi aabadi (women), and P for poor."
Yadav made his remark amid allegations by his political opponents who claim that RJD banks on the Muslim and Yadav votebank. Tejashwi, the younger son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, has been keen to expand the support base for the party beyond the traditional M-Y (Muslims and Yadavs) combination.
He further said, "Our Mai (Mother) and Baap (Father) are our public."
Former Bihar CM and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said the state's opinion has so much power that the people of the country imitate what Bihar decides.
Speaking at the 'Jan Vishwas Maha Rally', Lalu Yadav said, "Bihar has given lots of great personalities. In the same Gandhi Maidan, leaders of the country have held rallies and meetings. A message went to the whole country from here. Bihar's opinion has so much power that the people of the country imitate what Bihar decides. Tomorrow also, the same is going to happen."
Responding to Tejashwi's comments, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said, "RJD is a party of gimmicks... These (RJD) people are not leaders but actors...The people of Bihar will not accept him. Bihar needs a leader, someone who can lead...The kind of statement he (Tejashwi Yadav) has given shows the desperation of his mind."
Meanwhile, BJP's ally JD(U) remarked, "R for 'Right for Hooliganism', J for 'Job for Land' and D for 'Development of Family'.
"Lalu Yadav was trying to show nepotism instead of showing the unity of alliance leaders... Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav appealed to unite Dalits and Backward Classes," Neeraj Kumar said.
Tejashwi has embarked on his 10-day Jan Vishwas Yatra during which he would travel across 38 districts of Bihar. Tejashwi is making a strong pitch against the ruling alliance consisting of the BJP and JD(U) under Nitish Kumar, who recently snapped his ties with RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.
Nitish Kumar has assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he would remain with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) forever.
Tejaswhi's remark comes a day after PM Modi on Saturday launched a frontal attack on the Congress-RJD combine in Bihar's Begusarai, claiming that the opposition alliance had used its championing of the deprived sections as a “shield, to justify” corruption and dynastic politics.
The Prime Minister, who set foot on Bihar’s soil after more than a year and a half, addressed back-to-back rallies in Aurangabad and Begusarai districts, where he also launched development projects worth more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore.