© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
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Journalism of Courage
Despite his party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s fierce political rivalry with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), top RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav seems to have taken Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s counsel seriously.
Days after PM Modi reportedly asked him to “lose some weight” during their off-stage conversation on 12 July at the closing function of the Bihar Assembly’s centenary celebrations, Tejashwi seems to be going out of his way to burn calories and get back in shape, which has sent ripples in state political circles.
Tejashwi had also faced ridicule from his political opponents, especially the BJP, and was trolled on social media over his faltering speech punctuated with repeated fumbles at the July 12 event as the former, otherwise a fiery orator in extempore speeches, read out from a prepared text in the presence of the PM.
The RJD spokespersons had tried to play down the PM’s fitness tip for Tejashwi by saying that “the BJP has been actually afraid of Tejashwi gaining political weight”.
The younger son of RJD founder and former chief minister Lalu Prasad and ex-CM Rabri Devi, Tejashwi, 32, however seems to have taken the PM’s counsel in a positive spirit, undertaking workouts and engaging in sporting activity in a bid to shed some extra kilos and boost his political confidence.
Over the last eight days, Tejashwi and the RJD have shared his two videos on social media and their WhatsApp groups that show the LoP dragging a jeep and playing cricket.
In a video released by the RJD and his office Monday, Tejashwi, in a T-shirt and shorts, is seen pulling a jeep with his hands at his residence. The jeep’s driver handles the steering even as the LoP pushes the vehicle to its parking shed.
In another video he shared on his Twitter account on July 17, Tejashwi, a former cricketer, is seen playing several shots with the bat and bowling some quick deliveries. “Life or game, one should always play to win. The more you plan in head, the more you perform on field. Pleasure to try hands on bat & ball after ages. It becomes more satisfying when driver, cook, sweeper, gardener, cowkeeper & care takers are your playmates and keen to hit & bowl you out,” he tweeted tagging the video.
Tejashwi’s videos, however, did not seem to have gone down well with his political rivals from the ruling JD(U)-BJP camp. JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told The Indian Express, “Does it behove the Leader of Opposition to post videos of his personal physical exercise. It looks non-serious, he has been marketing his workouts as well. One cannot gain political weight or shape one’s politics by doing such things. He has to work hard on the ground for people.”
The BJP OBC Morcha’s national general secretary Nikhil Anand said: “It seems Tejashwi has taken the PM’s advice seriously. He should rather focus on constructive politics.”
RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari, however, said: “There is nothing wrong with Tejashwi’s videos as he has been trying to motivate youth for physical fitness. Our opponents have been these days reading too much between the lines over our leader’s actions. This only shows Tejashwi has been gaining political weight.”
