How Tejashwi Yadav is expanding RJD’s appeal beyond its traditional caste base
His focus on making employment the main plank of his campaign resonates among young Biharis.
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On April 9, Rahul Kumar got up at 4 am to get ready for a Rashtriya Janata Dal election rally in Gaya where former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav was going to be present. At the rally, Kumar wore just a pair of green shorts – the colour of the Rashtriya Janata Dal flag. He got his bare body painted in the same colour, the party symbol, a lantern, drawn on his back and the words “RJD'' and “Tejashwi” written on his torso.
In between drawing loud cheers by waving the Rashtriya Janata Dal flag on the stage at the rally, Kumar told Scroll: “Tejashwi is like god to me. I am in love with him.”
Why so? “Who else is there for the youth?” Kumar said. “Tejashwi is giving jobs.”
The response from Kumar, 24, a resident of Belaganj town in Gaya district encapsulates a major reason behind the rising popularity of Yadav among Biharis. Yadav’s focus on making employment the mainstay of his politics, has earned him young supporters like Kumar, many of whom are disenchanted with the failure of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the state and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre in providing jobs.
The fact that Rahul Kumar belongs to the...
