"How Many Jobs Is BJP Giving?": Tejashwi Yadav Slams PM Modi Over Rozgar Mela

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the distribution of appointment letters through the 'Rozgar Mela' (job fair).

In a jibe at the PM who handed out appointment letters, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said, "How many jobs are they (BJP government) giving to the people of this country?"

Earlier on Tuesday, PM Modi distributed 71,056 appointment letters to recruits via video conferencing, saying the Rozgar Mela goes to show the Centre's commitment to providing government jobs to the youth.

Taking on the PM, Tejashwi Yadav said, "Despite providing appointment letters, the central government has been unable to provide jobs to the country's youth."

On what steps the ruling alliance of RJD and the Janata Dal (United) had taken to generate employment opportunities in the state, the Deputy CM said, "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, new employement avenues are being opened for the youth and a large number of apointment letters will be handed out in the coming days."

The Bihar government appointed 11,329 new panchayat secretaries earlier this month. Also, 10,459 new police recruits received appointment letters in November.

In October, appointment letters were handed out by the PM to over 75,000 central government appointees under the Rozgar Mela.

On the allegation by the BJP's Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Samrat Choudhary, that of 11,329 new panchayat secretaries by the state, only a few received appointment letters, Tejashwi Yadav retorted, "How many jobs have they given to the vast population of this country?"

He further hit out at the BJP, saying those preaching violence were now making unfounded claims against his government.

Asked about his father and former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is to receive a kidney transplant from his daughter, Tejashwi Yadav said, "He would be leaving for Singapore by the end of this month for his treatment."

The RJD chief has not been keeping well in the recent past and doctors attending on him had recently advised a kidney transplant.

The former CM will receive a kidney from his daughter Rohini and will head to Singapore for the transplant.

On the upcoming Assembly bye-election in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav said, "We would soon launch campaign for the bye-election."

The national president Janata Dal (United), Lalan Singh, on Sunday informed the CM and deputy CM that he will soon visit the Kurhani constituency to campaign for the Assembly bypoll.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)