<p dir="ltr">Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav on Friday met top Opposition leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, days after Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) jolted the NDA to come out of the coalition and form a government with the Opposition.</p>.<p dir="ltr">Even as Tejaswi said Nitish's decision was a "timely slap" to the BJP, some of the Opposition leaders like Yechury and CPI General Secretary D Raja refused to be drawn into a debate on whether the Bihar Chief Minister could be the Opposition's Prime Ministerial candidate in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.</p>.<p dir="ltr">This is Tejaswi's first visit to Delhi after taking the oath of office. His father and RJD patriarch is presently in Delhi and both are likely to finalise the names of ministers, as the Cabinet expansion is likely to take place after August 15.</p>.<p dir="ltr"><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/bihar-governmentt-provides-z-plus-security-to-tejashwi-yadav-1135513.html" target="_blank">Bihar government provides 'Z-plus' security to Tejashwi Yadav</a></strong></p>.<p dir="ltr">Tejaswi drove to 10 Janpath to meet Sonia. Earlier in the day, he met Yechury and Raja separately during which they discussed the political developments in Bihar and the country, following the collapse of the NDA government in the state.</p>.<p dir="ltr">"After all the developments in Bihar, I came to Delhi last night. I met senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury and D Raja. Everyone congratulated us. This government will work with strength, it is the public's government. Nitish-ji's decision is a timely slap to BJP. Except for BJP, all parties are together in Bihar Assembly. This will now be seen across the country. People are tired of unemployment, inflation and religious clashes," he told reporters after meeting Sonia.</p>.<p dir="ltr">He said everyone has seen the "drama" in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. "Scare those who fear, buy those who are willing to be sold. Biharis are not sold out. Our institutions like CBI, ED and IT are being ruined one by one and their condition is worse than a police station," he said.</p>.<p dir="ltr">To another question, he said they had blamed Nitish and vice versa but one should understand that they were all from the "same home with socialist beliefs. Fights happen in every household, but we welcome Nitish-ji's decision looking at the country's situation".</p>.<p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Yechury said they are confident that Bihar will finally have a government which will listen to and take care of all the people of Bihar especially the poor, downtrodden and the marginalised. Asked about whether Nitish could emerge as the Prime Ministerial candidate, he said he cannot say anything on the issue.</p>.<p dir="ltr">Raja said this is not the time to discuss the Prime Ministerial candidate. "Now, Nitish is the Chief Minister of Bihar. Let us focus on that," he said, adding that the Bihar developments were a "prelude for 2024 fight".</p>
<p dir="ltr">Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav on Friday met top Opposition leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, days after Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) jolted the NDA to come out of the coalition and form a government with the Opposition.</p>.<p dir="ltr">Even as Tejaswi said Nitish's decision was a "timely slap" to the BJP, some of the Opposition leaders like Yechury and CPI General Secretary D Raja refused to be drawn into a debate on whether the Bihar Chief Minister could be the Opposition's Prime Ministerial candidate in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.</p>.<p dir="ltr">This is Tejaswi's first visit to Delhi after taking the oath of office. His father and RJD patriarch is presently in Delhi and both are likely to finalise the names of ministers, as the Cabinet expansion is likely to take place after August 15.</p>.<p dir="ltr"><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/bihar-governmentt-provides-z-plus-security-to-tejashwi-yadav-1135513.html" target="_blank">Bihar government provides 'Z-plus' security to Tejashwi Yadav</a></strong></p>.<p dir="ltr">Tejaswi drove to 10 Janpath to meet Sonia. Earlier in the day, he met Yechury and Raja separately during which they discussed the political developments in Bihar and the country, following the collapse of the NDA government in the state.</p>.<p dir="ltr">"After all the developments in Bihar, I came to Delhi last night. I met senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury and D Raja. Everyone congratulated us. This government will work with strength, it is the public's government. Nitish-ji's decision is a timely slap to BJP. Except for BJP, all parties are together in Bihar Assembly. This will now be seen across the country. People are tired of unemployment, inflation and religious clashes," he told reporters after meeting Sonia.</p>.<p dir="ltr">He said everyone has seen the "drama" in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. "Scare those who fear, buy those who are willing to be sold. Biharis are not sold out. Our institutions like CBI, ED and IT are being ruined one by one and their condition is worse than a police station," he said.</p>.<p dir="ltr">To another question, he said they had blamed Nitish and vice versa but one should understand that they were all from the "same home with socialist beliefs. Fights happen in every household, but we welcome Nitish-ji's decision looking at the country's situation".</p>.<p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Yechury said they are confident that Bihar will finally have a government which will listen to and take care of all the people of Bihar especially the poor, downtrodden and the marginalised. Asked about whether Nitish could emerge as the Prime Ministerial candidate, he said he cannot say anything on the issue.</p>.<p dir="ltr">Raja said this is not the time to discuss the Prime Ministerial candidate. "Now, Nitish is the Chief Minister of Bihar. Let us focus on that," he said, adding that the Bihar developments were a "prelude for 2024 fight".</p>
