Tejashwi Yadav Accuses NDA of Exploiting Bihar, Urges Voters to End ‘Captivity’ in 2025 Polls

Patna: Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA, accusing it of exploiting Bihar for votes, neglecting industrial development in the state, and keeping Bihar “captive.” Yadav said the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections would give people a crucial opportunity to “free the state” from the NDA’s control and restore its path toward progress.

“Political parties exploit Bihar for votes and set up industries in Gujarat, keeping Bihar captive. This election gives people an opportunity to remove them for the state’s progress,” Yadav told reporters, urging citizens to unite against the ruling alliance.

He alleged that the NDA government was attempting to influence voters, particularly women, through financial incentives ahead of the polls. Referring to the Chief Minister’s Women Entrepreneurship Scheme, under which women receive an initial grant of ₹10,000 to start small businesses, Yadav accused the government of “bribing ten lakh women” by transferring money to their accounts just before the elections.

He questioned how such actions were allowed during the election period. “The government is sending money to women’s accounts before elections — isn’t this a form of bribery? How can the Election Commission permit such acts?” Yadav asked, calling the move a violation of electoral ethics.

Earlier, the RJD leader took aim at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, criticizing his remarks about land shortages in Bihar being an obstacle to industrial development. Tejashwi said such statements reflected the NDA’s lack of will to develop the state.

“Amit Shah says industries can’t be set up in Bihar because there’s a shortage of land. We’ve never seen a Home Minister who gives such excuses,” Yadav said. “This shows their intention is not to develop Bihar. Their goal is to capture it politically, not to advance it economically.”

He further accused the central government of ignoring Bihar’s youth and employment crisis, claiming that instead of creating factories and job opportunities, the NDA has focused on retaining political control. “They don’t want to set up industries or create jobs — they just want to keep the people of Bihar dependent and controlled,” Yadav asserted.

As the election battle intensifies, Yadav has positioned himself as the voice of Bihar’s youth and unemployed, seeking to revive the state’s economic and social growth.

The Bihar Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results to be announced on November 14, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest between the Mahagathbandhan and the NDA over Bihar’s political and developmental future.