Bihar Oath Ceremony: The mandate was against NDA, the RJD has said.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has decided not attend the oath-taking ceremony of Bihar Chief Minister-designate Nitish Kumar of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) scheduled to be held in Patna today.
The RJD said it was boycotting the event as the mandate was against the NDA.
In a tweet posted in Hindi, the party, among other things, said: "The people's mandate has been turned into a government order. Ask the unemployed, farmers, contract workers and employed teachers of Bihar what is going on with them. The public is agitated by the fraud of the NDA. We are the public's representatives and stand with them."
In another tweet taking a dig at the JDU and the BJP, the RJD said that two helpless entities were forming a government in Bihar today: one helpless because it is weak and corrupt, the other because it is faceless.
Mr Yadav had earlier alleged irregularities in the Bihar assembly elections held a few days ago and demanded recounting of postal ballot votes in all constituencies where they were counted at the end.
Mr Kumar, meanwhile, is set to take oath as Chief Minister for the fourth consecutive term today following a closely-fought election, primarily against the RJD-led Mahagathbadhan.
The NDA has secured a 125-seat majority in the 243-seat strong Bihar Legislative Assembly of which BJP won 74 seats, JD(U) 43, and eight in all by two other NDA constituents. The RJD, on the other hand, emerged as the single-largest party with 75 seats while the Congress only won 19 of the 70 seats it had contested in.
NDA legislature party leaders had on Sunday met to name him leader of the alliance in the Assembly, paving the way for his return as Chief Minister.