Tejashwi accuses Prashant Kishor's outfit of acting as Nitish's 'B-team'

In an apparent dig at Jan Suraaj Party, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav accused the fledgling outfit floated by former political strategist Prashant Kishor of acting as 'B team' of the Nitish Kumar-led ruling alliance in Bihar.

In a video message late on Sunday, hours after police used water cannons to disperse students seeking cancellation of a recent BPSC exam, the former deputy CM, in an apparent reference to the IPAC founder and his party, said the protesters were "misled" into marching towards Gandhi Maidan.

"This movement was started by students. The nearly two week-long dharna at Gardani Bagh, where I also had gone recently, had caused the government to tremble. At this moment, came some elements acting as the government's B team," alleged Yadav, who is now the leader of the opposition.

"The protesters were misled into marching towards Gandhi Maidan, despite warnings from the administration against doing so. And, when the time to face lathi charge and water cannons came, those who had offered to lead the protests, chose to run away," he said.

Notably, though Kishor was not at the spot when police took recourse to use of force, he had addressed the protesters earlier on Sunday along with his supporters. This has led to slapping of an FIR against Kishor and Jan Suraaj Party president Manoj Bharti, in addition to several others.

The protesters, who were joined earlier on Sunday by Prashant Kishor at Gandhi Maidan, attempted to march towards the chief minister's residence in the evening, prompting police to take action, Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh had said.

Yadav promised that his party will use its clout to "politically" back the protesters' demand for cancellation of the Combined Competitive Exams held on December 13, when five lakh candidates had appeared at more than 900 centres across the state.

"But you must not get swayed by empty promises. Stick to your guns. January 4 is still a few days away. There is time enough to bring the government to its knees. It is nonsensical to say the BPSC does not come under the government. Its chairman is an appointee of the chief minister, who also happens to hold the Home portfolio, the department which controls the police," said Yadav.

Notably, the BPSC has decided to hold re-examination for more than 10,000 candidates who were assigned Bapu Pariksha Parisar, an examination centre in the city where hundreds had boycotted the tests alleging that question papers had been "leaked".

The BPSC rubbished the allegation and claimed the test was disrupted as part of a "conspiracy" to get the exam cancelled.