In light of the RJD’s significant defeat in the Bihar assembly elections, senior leader Shivanand Tiwari has criticized Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav while also warning his long-time associate and current NDA ally, Nitish Kumar. Tiwari asserted that while the BJP may temporarily retain Kumar as chief minister, their ultimate objective is to create their own governance in Bihar. In a detailed Facebook post, the former RJD vice-president characterized the 2025 election as pivotal, indicating that it will be the first occasion where the BJP and its allies seem capable of achieving a full majority in Bihar independently.
He noted that the BJP has long aspired to establish its own administration in the state, which remains the only significant region in the Hindi heartland not yet governed by the party alone. Tiwari remarked on Bihar’s historical resistance to Hindutva ideology, referencing its heritage as the birthplace of Buddha and sites of significant social movements, while lamenting the BJP’s imminent establishment of its own government. He also criticized Lalu Yadav’s political relevance, suggesting that Tejashwi Yadav lacks individuality and is merely a replica of his father, marked by arrogance. He pointed out that the RJD’s decline began in 2010, when they secured only 22 seats and lost their main opposition status.
Tiwari reflected on the political dynamics of the 1990s, recalling how Lalu Prasad Yadav became chief minister with support from Congress, Left parties, and the BJP. He noted that Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav advocated for internal elections within the Janata Dal, leading to Lalu’s unexpected victory. Tiwari criticized Lalu for squandering political capital acquired during key historical movements while praising Kumar for extending the concept of social justice to women and marginalized groups. However, Tiwari cautioned that Kumar’s inability to cultivate a political successor could lead to detrimental effects: “After Nitish, where will his followers go? Certainly not to Lalu Yadav.
They will drift towards the BJP, paving the way for an unchallenged Hindutva rule in Bihar.” He questioned whether Kumar has considered the ideological conflict of partnering with a party that, according to Tiwari, venerates “the man who killed Gandhi.” Tiwari further argued that despite the BJP being the largest party in the NDA, Nitish Kumar’s achievement of winning 42 new seats surpassed the BJP’s 15, suggesting that Kumar’s ascension to chief minister should not be viewed as a favor from the BJP.
