Bihar's new generation leaders on separate political yatras ahead of assembly polls

PATNA: It’s the season of political yatras in Bihar. Around seven months ahead of the state assembly polls, senior leaders of prominent political parties especially the new generation leaders have planned to embark on separate yatra to gauge the mood of voters and consolidate their support base.
While the RJD’s CM face and leader of opposition in assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (30) has decided to undertake a statewide “Berozgaari Hatao Yatra” (tour to end unemployment) from February 23, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan (37) will embark on “Bihar First-Bihari First Yatra” from February 21.
Former JNUSU president and CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar (33) is already visiting different parts of the state as part of his month-long “Jan-Gan-Man Yatra” to garner people’s support against the CAA, NRC and NPR. Congress MLA from Kadwan (Katihar) and former student leader of the JNU Shakeel Ahmad Khan also accompanying Kanhaiya in the yatra.
Interestingly, the trio leaders are in the age group of 30 to 37 years.
Tejashwi’s ‘Berozgaari Hatao Yatra”, which is aimed to take sympathy of unemployed youths, has already generated much heat in the state’s political circles. While a few legislators of the ruling JD(U) have welcomed the RJD leader’s initiative to highlight the burning issue of unemployment and migration, the BJP leaders have said Tejashwi is taking out the Yatra to end his own “Berozgaari.”
"Tejashwi Yadav himself is unemployed these days. Hence, he has decided to undertake 'Berozgaari Hatao Yatra'. His family has made lakhs of youths unemployed during their 15-year rule in the state,” Union minister of state for health and Buxar MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey said here on Wednesday.
Tejashwi has also hired a swanky air-conditioned bus for his yatra which will begin from Patna-based Veterinary College’s ground on February 23. However, his swanky bus came into controversy after JD(U) leader and state’s information and public relations minister Neeraj Kumar alleged that the said bus was registered in the name of a person belonging to BPL category.
“Tejashwi undertook some political yatras in the past also. But he could not complete any of his yatra,” JD(U) leader and state’s building construction minister Ashok Choudhary told TOI.
“In July 2018, Tejashwi undertook a cycle yatra from Bodh Gaya. His cycle yatra was originally scheduled to cover more than 100 KMs between Bodh Gaya and Patna over three days. But after covering distance of around 35 km, he decided to call it off due to rain,” Choudhary recalled.
“Chirag will cover at least two districts each day as part of his Yatra, to begin from February 21. On the first day, he will visit Muzaffarpur and Vaishali,” LJP spokesperson Shravan Kumar Agarwal told TOI on Wednesday. He said Chirag would visit different parts of the state to invite people for the party’s proposed state-level rally at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan April 14.
Kanhaiya’s “Jan-Gan-Man Yatra”, which began from West Champaran district on January 30, has already hit headlines across the country as it was facing violent protest from supporters of the right-wing organizations. So far, Kanhaiya’s convoy was attacked eighth times. During his month-long Yatra, the CPI leader will reach almost all the major towns in the state. His yatra will culminate at Patna’s Gandhi maidan on February 27.
Besides these young leaders, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar finished his latest “Jal-Jivan-Hariyali Yatra” in the second week of January this year. Under this yatra, the CM visited all 38 districts to spread awareness about environment protection and impact of climate change.