The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Saturday authorised leader Tejashwi Yadav to take decisions related to the party's strategy. The decision was taken during the RJD's national executive committee meeting in Patna and comes ahead of the Bihar assembly elections set to be held later this year.
According to the resolution passed by the committee, Yadav can now take decisions regarding the party's internal matters and party tickets, among other issues, news agency PTI reported.
The meeting was attended by the senior RJD leaders including MPs, MLAs, MLCs along with Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and eldest daughter Misa Bharti.
After being given the responsibility in the national executive meeting, Tejashwi Yadav said: "The trust that everyone has shown in me and the responsibilities that have been given to me are big. I will perform as per the expectations of the party leaders. It is only when the party organisation is strong, accountable, lives up to the expectations of the people, we will be able to win elections and serve the people of the state."
"We will win the coming assembly polls in Bihar. We have to make a new Bihar... a developed state... we have to take everyone along. We will soon intensify our membership drive," he said, adding that the RJD has a vision and blueprint for progress for the state's overall development.
"All sections will be taken care of when we form the government. The work that we did in 17 months, could not be done in the last 18 years," Yadav said.
He further said that the party will not prioritise organisational elections, which will be held from panchayats, mandals, zilas to the party's apex level. He also announced that an open convention will be held at Bapu Sabhagar in Patna on July 5 after the organisational polls are concluded, PTI reported.
'Nitish Kumar Not Competent To Run Bihar': Tejaswhi Yadav
The RJD leader went on to slam Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for claiming that the sartorial tastes of the women in the state improved after he assumed power 20 years ago. He made the remark earlier today at the 'Pragati Yatra' in Begusarai district.
Yadav reacted to this remark saying that the CM needed to remember that "he is the chief minister and not a women's fashion designer. It is not that the daughters of Bihar earlier did not wear good clothes. They also covered themselves with self-respect (swabhiman) and self-reliance (swavalamban)."
"Kumar's statement is a direct insult to women of the state," Yadav said, adding, "The CM is now tired... he is not competent to run the state."
Meanwhile, senior RJD leader Shakti Singh commented on Yadav's elevation, saying, "Tejashwi ji is the leader of the opposition in the state legislature and he has been authorised to take calls on the party's strategy, membership drive, organisational strengthening, and also ground-level movements. He has got equal powers that our national president has."
RJD MP Manoj Jha claimed that the RJD will win the Bihar polls and form a government in the state.
"In the meeting, detailed discussions were held on how to make the organisation stronger. Our national president Lalu Prasad said now the bugle has been blown. RJD will win and form the government after the assembly polls in the state."