Tejashwi Yadav Pledges Corruption-Free Bihar, Hits Back at PM Modi’s ‘Jungle Raj’ Remark

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, on October 24, 2025, articulated his vision for a transformative Bihar, pledging to elevate the state to "number one" status with a "corruption-free government" if the INDIA bloc assumes power in the upcoming assembly elections. Speaking to reporters in Patna, the 35-year-old, who was anointed the bloc's chief ministerial candidate just a day earlier, emphasised a responsive administration focused on education, healthcare, employment, and irrigation.

"Bihar deserves a government that delivers... We want a Bihar where no one has to go elsewhere for treatment or a job," Yadav declared, promising affordable medicines, job creation, and an end to crime. His rhetoric underscores the opposition's strategy to counter the ruling NDA by highlighting governance failures amid Bihar's persistent challenges like unemployment and poor infrastructure.

Yadav's presser also served as a direct rebuttal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent "jungle raj" jibe, which evoked the RJD's 1990s era of alleged lawlessness and branded the opposition as a "lathbandhan" (coalition of criminals) with leaders on bail. Countering fiercely, Yadav questioned Modi's inaction against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, an NDA ally whom the PM himself had referenced in 55 criminal cases.

"Jungle raj is where criminals are protected... not a single day goes by in Bihar when rape, murder, corruption, and other crimes don't happen," he retorted, accusing the NDA of misusing agencies and prioritising Gujarat's industrial gains over Bihar's woes. This exchange highlights escalating pre-poll rhetoric, with the BJP leveraging nostalgia for stability while the RJD pushes a youth-centric, welfare agenda.

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As the 243-seat Bihar Assembly braces for a high-stakes bipolar contest, Yadav's candidacy injects fresh energy into the INDIA bloc, potentially consolidating Yadavite and Muslim votes against the NDA's Hindu consolidation. Polls suggest a razor-thin margin, with economic discontent and caste dynamics pivotal. Yadav's promises echo his 2020 deputy CM tenure's focus on youth schemes, though critics question RJD's track record on delivery.

With Gehlot's endorsement signalling Congress's buy-in, the alliance eyes a historic upset, but Modi's roadshows and Nitish's floor management pose formidable hurdles. For Bihar's 7.5 crore voters, the race pits aspirations for progress against fears of regression, setting the stage for a fiercely contested battle that could reshape eastern India's political landscape.

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