Tejashwi Yadav said the alliances of opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are strong
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has said in an interview to NDTV that the BJP has spread politics of poison in the country. He said the party is not doing the politics of development but the politics of destruction. He also talked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent "radar" comment, saying the PM has no other issue to talk about. Taking a dig at JDU chief Nitish Kumar, he said it was good for the RJD that Mr Kumar broke ties with it.
Here are the highlights of Prannoy Roy's interview with Tejashwi Yadav:
On combined opposition and their very different ideologies
"The country is torn. Like when a garment tears, we stitch it back up with a thread. So we all are different threads with different ideologies and we are trying to repair the country."
"Politics of destruction not development in country"
"The BJP has spread politics of poison in the country. They are doing the politics of destruction, not development . This is why we have come together for the mahagathbandhan.
On Mahagathbandhan
In major states, like UP, the gathbandhan is very strong, so is in Bihar. Yes the mahagathbandhan was not that successful on a national scale but regionally, the idea has had good results."
On Elections Issues
"Our questions are very simple: Have the farmers' incomes doubled? Talk about increasing employment, reducing inflation, poverty, improving the education system."
On JDU Chief Nitish Kumar
- "It is good that Paltu Chacha (Nitish Kumar) left us. He will sink whichever boat he'll be in."
- "Nitish ji knows that the BJP is not going to come back in power, so he is making the ground for him as the Prime Ministerial face."
On PM Modi's Recent 'Radar' Remark
"Prime Minister has no issues to talk about, hence, he brings up radars"
On Nationalism
- "The BJP talks of nationalism when you talk of issues."
- "Have been saying since the first day - will not talk of Modi, will only talk of the issues.
On Media
"All the constitutional institutions are working like a BJP cell. The country's institutions have been hijacked by the ruling government."
On Father Lalu Yadav
- "I went to meet him (Lalu Yadav) but the regional government did not allow it"
- "Yesterday at a rally Nitish Kumar said he won't let Lalu Yadav out of jail. But this is for the courts to decide, not for him."