Nitish-led NDA government of 21 years failed in all parameters in Bihar, says Tejashwi Yadav

Ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls on March 16, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) national working president Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday (March 12, 2026) alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had failed on all parameters during the 21 years of NDA’s rule.

In a post on X, Mr. Yadav said, “In 21 years of NDA government, Bihar is the worst performer in all standards, criteria, and indices of development, but no one is ever held accountable for these shameful facts and rankings — just flip-flops, the administrative machinery, vote-buying with public treasury funds, looting of votes, and riding on casteism, while so-called good governance folks enjoy the perks of power.”

He further wrote, “Bihar is a unique and unparalleled State where the NDA’s double-engine government has been in power for decades, yet the State is the poorest in the country, highest migration, highest crime, highest corruption, highest unemployment, highest school dropout rate, lowest literacy rate, lowest per capita income in the country.”

Mr. Yadav, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, added, “The State has lowest farmers’ income, lowest per capita investment, lowest per capita consumption, lowest computer literacy, lowest electricity consumption, lowest basic infrastructure, lowest quality education and lowest industrial units.”

Making a sarcastic statement, the former Deputy Chief Minister said, “Bihar is the worst performer in all indicators of development in the country but yet leading in buying expensive gas, electricity, petrol, diesel, property and land than Delhi-Mumbai.”

Autumn of a socialist: On Nitish Kumar, the BJP and Bihar politics

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Niraj Kumar hit back at Mr. Yadav giving point-wise reply, asserting that the NDA’s double-engine government in Bihar had pulled the State out of the deterioration since 2005 and firmly placed it on the path to development.

“During your RJD government’s Jungle Raj (1990-2005), Bihar was the most backward State and poverty was over 60%, literacy at 47%, migration so rampant that Biharis were taunted. But what happened in the NDA’s 21 years? Reduction in Poverty: In 2005-06, multidimensional poverty was 54.4%, which dropped to 26.59% by 2022-23. 3.77 crore people escaped poverty — the highest in the country after Uttar Pradesh,” Mr. Niraj Kumar said on X.

NITI Aayog report

He further said, “NITI Aayog’s report clearly shows that Bihar saw the sharpest decline in poverty. Under the RJD’s rule, migration was a necessity, but the NDA provided 10 lakh government jobs and created 10 lakh employment opportunities. The unemployment rate in 2023-24 was .9%, below the national average. Though migration remains a challenge, investment surged — from 0 industries in 2005 to 3,500 units now, exports from ₹25 crore to ₹17,000 crore.”

Calling it a National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data, Mr. Niraj Kumar pointed out that during the RJD’s rule, there were 3,643 murders in 2001 and now in 2025, it’s 2,556 — the lowest in 25 years.

“NCRB data make it clear that the NDA improved law and order. Under the RJD’s rule, Bihar was ‘most corrupt’, but the NDA brought reforms through RTI and E-Governance. According to Transparency International, Bihar became the ‘least corrupt’ in 2011. In 2025, corruption cases hit a record 122, but investigations and conviction rates rose — 43% conviction,“ said the BJP leader.

He also claimed that the NDA strengthened the Public Distribution System (PDS), provided gas and electricity in subsidies, along with it property rates rose due to development — metro, highways, and construction of airports.

“Mr. Tejashwi Yadav, this is not ‘failure’ — it is the foundation of development. Bihar was ruined by RJD’s casteism and plunder; NDA delivered good governance. There’s accountability — progress is visible. Now, with ₹50 lakh crore in investment, we will make Bihar number one,” Mr. Niraj Kumar said.

Published – March 12, 2026 09:46 pm IST