Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar mistakenly referred to his deputy Tejashwi Prasad Yadav as “mukhyamantri” at an event which triggered a series of barbs from JD(U)’s previous ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the ruling allies took it as a compliment.
BJP jeered at the chief minister after the slip of tongue, saying that he needs to “go to ashram”, while ruling ally RJD said this only shows the growing bond among the parties.
Nitish was announcing names of those appointed as veterinary and district fisheries officers at an event of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Department. He called his deputy “mananiya mukhyamantri” (honourable chief minister) Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and did not correct his error throughout his speech.
“It appears Nitish Kumar has consciously or subconsciously accepted Tejashwi as CM. It is really time for Nitish Kumar to go to ashram,” BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.
The “ashram” taunt assumes significance as a senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari had said days ago that any age over 70 is one of “going to ashram”. Of this slip-up, however, he said, “It may be a slip of tongue (but) we take it as a blessing of Nitish Kumar for nephew Tejashwi Yadav, who is surely a future leader of Bihar.”
A JD(U) leader dismissed the incident, saying that BJP “envies the bond” between the two allies.
After Nitish ditched the BJP-led NDA in the state and joined hands with RJD in August, he reportedly called for equal importance to him and his deputy to showcase the tight bond between uncle and nephew this time around.