RJD leader Pratima Kushwaha joins BJP citing neglect of grassroots leaders.
BJP claims dynastic politics in RJD and Congress is driving defections.
Kushwaha criticises Tejashwi Yadav on jobs, land issues, and reservations.
Ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, RJD leader Pratima Kushwaha, former head of the party’s state women’s wing, joined the BJP on Saturday, citing that grassroots leaders were not valued in the opposition party, PTI reported.
BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal welcomed Kushwaha to the party. Speaking to reporters, he said, “The environment of nepotism and dynastic politics is so prevalent within the RJD and the Congress that many of their leaders are feeling disenchanted. This is the reason several of their leaders are joining the BJP.” Jaiswal added that the NDA aims to form the Bihar government with a two-thirds majority under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Kushwaha criticised the RJD leadership, saying, “The RJD is no longer the party it used to be under Lalu Prasad Yadav. Grassroots leaders are not respected, and the party, along with the family heading it, is deeply fragmented.”
Referring to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s claim of providing jobs to Bihar’s youth, she alleged, “The RJD did give jobs during its rule, but by taking away land from people,” apparently pointing to the alleged land-for-job scam under the RJD.
She also rejected Tejashwi’s claim of expanding reservations for backward classes, quipping, “He has only given reservations to his family. The real reservations have been provided by the NDA government for women and backward classes.”
(With inputs from PTI)
