Five phases of elections are over, NDA is finished: Tejashwi Yadav

Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said after five phases of polling it was clear that NDA was defeated and the conflict between Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the reason behind its failure in Bihar.

"Five of the seven phases of the elections are over and NDA is finished. On 23 May, Bhajpa Gayi (BJP is gone). There is an internal conflict in the NDA, especially in Bihar. Nitish Kumar asks his own party leaders to say that he will be the Prime Minister. Kumar and Modi both are greedy and that is why there is a lack of trust in their coalition," Tejashwi told reporters here.

He also stated that the BJP president Amit Shah's road show would not make a big difference as people are against BJP's anti-reservation decisions. "I want Amit Shah to answer why the central government removed the sub-quota reservation for OBC's, the Kushwahas, Dangi, Patel and Ahirs. Paltu Chacha (Nitish Kumar) on the other hand says that nobody can end reservations. There is a big difference between their words and their actions. The people need an answer in this road show," Tejashwi said.

He also said Kumar had wronged the para teachers by not allowing them equal pay for equal work in the state and he would correct this when RJD forms government in the state.

"Nitish does not want equal pay for equal work to be given to the para-teachers and thus they opposed their demands. That is why the teachers are going to strike, they are angry with the state government. When we come to power we will try to fulfil their demands," he said.

Around 3.5 lakh para-teachers in Bihar were stunned by the Supreme Court decision, dated May 9, which stated that Bihar government's stand of not providing a salary on the same scale of permanent teachers was correct. The para-teachers had earlier won a battle in the High Court, but the Supreme Court verdict set aside the lower court's order.