Political tempers flared in Bihar as Tej Pratap Yadav, Jan Shakti Janata Dal chief, launched a personal broadside against Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday. At the heart: Rahul’s charge that MGNREGA renaming mocks Gandhi’s legacy, which Yadav called out as performative outrage.
‘Name changes don’t make or break Gandhism—living it does,’ Yadav asserted. He zeroed in on Rahul’s habits: cruising on bullet bikes and sporting jeans, antithetical to Bapu’s frugal, khadi-promoting life. ‘Gandhi pedaled simplicity; you rev engines of excess,’ he jabbed.
Yadav stressed Gandhi’s push for charkha-driven self-reliance, questioning Rahul’s wardrobe choices. Without aligning personal behavior, he argued, invoking Gandhi smacks of duplicity. ‘Titles with ‘Gandhi’ don’t confer sanctity—conduct does,’ he noted.
Portraying Gandhi as an icon of restraint and renunciation, Yadav urged politicians to embody these in action, not oratory. Contextually, this follows Bihar election fallout, with Yadav critiquing INDIA leaders like Rahul and inching toward BJP circles.
His recent Makar Sankranti visit to Deputy CM Sinha’s house, marked by greetings and pictures, fueled speculation. On NDA prospects, they remained coy: ‘Announcements later.’ Bihar’s volatile politics sees Yadav positioning as a vocal disruptor amid alliance flux.