100th Birth Anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Observed in Bihar Amid Political Barbs

Patna: A state-level event marked the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Patna. Leaders including Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, Vijay Sinha, and several ministers paid floral tributes to Vajpayee’s statue at Pataliputra Park. The ceremony highlighted Vajpayee’s contributions and his vision for good governance.

During the event, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha targeted Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, dismissing his remarks that the Bihar Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) is being controlled by four individuals from Delhi. Sinha stated that such statements hold no merit and emphasized the ongoing struggle between “decency and devil” in Bihar’s governance. He accused Lalu Prasad Yadav of destroying the state with fraudulent politics, asserting that Lalu was the architect of Bihar’s decline.

JDU leader and Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar also criticized Tejashwi Yadav, accusing him of spreading negativity and making baseless allegations without understanding the law or the constitution. He argued that Tejashwi’s statements lack substance and credibility.

Former minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain added to the criticism, claiming that the RJD party has been hijacked by Tejashwi Yadav. According to him, while Lalu Prasad Yadav remains the national president, Tejashwi has taken control of all party decisions, sidelining his father. The event, while focused on paying homage to Vajpayee, became a platform for political sparring among Bihar’s leaders.