In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal travelled to Patna on Thursday and threw his weight behind Chief Minister Nitish Kumar by calling him a sushashak (good administrator) during a state government function. Kejriwal also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent “DNA test” jibe and accused him of trying to “buy out” the people of Bihar with his special package. “It is wrong to challenge Bihar’s DNA. This state has given so many important people to the country. They (BJP) also targeted me before the Delhi elections and said that I came from an upadravi gotra (anarchist community). It backfired. Janta to bata deti hai (people give a befitting answer),” Kejriwal said. Speaking at a Bihar government function to celebrate the implementation of the Right to Public Services (RTPS) Act, the Delhi CM said his government planned to emulate Bihar’s successful RTPS model that had benefitted about 11 crore people. [related-post] Calling the Central government “confrontationist”, he accused it of deliberately giving a thumbs down to Delhi government’s every move. The Delhi CM also claimed that AAP won Delhi after BJP's resounding Lok Sabha win and at a time when it was winning almost every state election. Kejriwal, who was shown black flags by protesters outside the Patna airport, mocked the BJP for seeking votes with a promise to bring back black money and then focusing on yoga. “Yoga is a good thing but let there be clarity among people if you are seeking votes in name of black money or yoga,” he said. Kejriwal also accused the Centre of violating the spirit of cooperative federalism. As Kejriwal wrapped up his attack on AAP’s and JD(U)’s common political enemy, the Bihar CM thanked him for coming to the state and even reiterated his support for Kejriwal’s demand for full statehood for Delhi. After the event, the BJP returned fire by questioning Kejriwal if he also backed the “Lalu model”. Senior BJP leader and former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi told The Indian Express: “Before attacking us, Kejriwal should clarify if he was also with Nitish Kumar’s alliance partners, the RJD and the Congress. Is Kejriwal supporting the Lalu model? As for his model, everyone knows the truth of his populist moves.” The BJP also targeted Nitish Kumar for ignoring alliance partners RJD and Congress. Union Minister Giriraj Singh wondered why Lalu Prasad, the “poster boy” of the grand alliance, was kept out of election posters.
