In a jibe at the Modi government, rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav on Monday voiced the hope that the new ministers would help it fulfil promises made to the people as it had “failed” to do so till now.
Mr. Yadav, a critic of demonetisation who was forced to keep mum on the issue after his party chief Nitish Kumar supported it, also claimed that the recent RBI figures and fall in the GDP growth rate had vindicated his stand that November 8, 2016 was a “black day” for India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced demonetisation on that day.
Addressing a press conference, Mr. Yadav, however, did not join other Opposition leaders in mocking Mr. Kumar over non-inclusion of JD(U) members in the Union Council of Ministers, saying its MPs and MLAs had chosen a path different from him and it is for them to comment on the matter.
He did add that the NDA under Mr. Modi was different from the NDA of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani as allies had a big share in the first BJP-led government while they are now like “loose change.”
Asked if he would resign from the Rajya Sabha as the JD(U) is working to get his membership annulled, he said he had resigned many times earlier and taken a stand different from his party in the nation’s interest.
Mr. Yadav accused the Modi government of “failure on all fronts.” “They (BJP) had made a lot of promises to people before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. They talked about bringing back black money, creating two crore jobs annually and so many things. Nothing has happened. I welcome the new Ministers and hope they will help the government fulfil a part of its promises in the remaining tenure.”