From left to right: Nihora Prasad Yadav, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, Neeraj Kumar, and Bharti Mehta while interacting with the press at the JD(U) office in Patna on September 14, 2024.  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Days after creating controversy over the Bhumihar issue, Bihar Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Ashok Choudhary is once again under scanner within his party.Earlier this week, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav had claimed that he had a video in which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was pleading before RJD to form the government after he parted ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Mr. Choudhary then dared Mr. Yadav to release that video or else stop telling lies. Following his challenge, the RJD last on Friday released the video of Mr. Kumar in which he is allegedly seen pleading before Rabri Devi, the former Chief Minister of Bihar at 10, Circular Road residence.Now, talk has started within JD(U) that what was the need to challenge Tejashwi Yadav when CM himself is saying in public domain that he committed a mistake twice by going with the RJD.It all started when Mr. Kumar and Mr. Yadav along with Cabinet Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary had a closed-door meeting at CM secretariat to discuss the names of the Information Commissioner last week. After the meeting, the talks of Mr. Kumar making another turnaround started. However, after few days Mr. Kumar himself reiterated that he committed a mistake twice by going with the RJD.Bihar CM had issued the statement in front of BJP national president J.P. Nadda when he was in Patna to inaugurate several projects in the health sector.Mr. Yadav and his father, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad had issued the statement that there was no chance of taking Mr. Kumar back in the fold of Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance bloc. Reacting to the speculation, Mr. Yadav had said that every time Bihar CM pleads only to then return back to BJP. He even went on to say that he has the video as well.Reacting to his claim, Mr. Choudhary on September 13 afternoon said, “Instead of telling lies, he should bring out that video in public domain as well. If he has any video in which Nitish ji is pleading before Lalu ji then he should bring that video, we also want to watch it. The election results proves how much benefit other political parties have got wherever Nitish ji has made an alliance.”After a few hours of Choudhary’s challenge to Mr. Yadav who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, RJD State unit president Jagdanand Singh called a press briefing on Friday evening at the party office.He then played the video on television screen in which Mr. Kumar is allegedly pleading before Rabri Devi with folded hands on August 8, 2022, seeking forgiveness for breaking alliance with the RJD in 2017 as claimed by the RJD.In the video five people are visible Mr. Kumar holding mike in his, Rabri Devi, Mr. Yadav, Mr. Singh and Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, the then president of JD-(U).Releasing the video at the party office Mr. Singh said, “You all can see what he is doing, I do not need to explain much on this. Nitish Kumar has no credibility in politics and always tells lies after lies. When BJP conspired to bring him down to zero, he came to us and apologised, urging us to save his existence and party.”Ever since the RJD released the video, JD(U) leaders are offering up explanations to back the claim. However, many party leaders believed that there was no need to present a challenge to Mr. Yadav who is currently touring Bihar.Requesting anonymity, a senior JD(U) leader and Cabinet Minister said, “Mr. Choudhary has unnecessarily provoked Tejashwi Yadav. What was the need to challenge him to bring out that video? Questions can be raised on the authenticity of the video later but our leader is clearly visible with folded hands before Rabri Devi. We are yet to come out of the controversy he has created last week and again he has made the party feel embarrassed.”Another JD(U) MLA said that before giving a challenge to the opposition, he should first consult the top leaders of the party as it becomes hard to defend such a situation.After the release of the video, Mr. Choudhary said that Mr. Kumar was not pleading but greeting her so there is big difference between pleading and greeting someone.Last month, Mr. Choudhary had indirectly held Bhumihar responsible for the defeat of a party candidate in Jehanabad Lok Sabha.On Saturday, four JD(U) leaders, which included national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, MLC Neeraj Kumar, spokesperson Nihora Prasad Yadav, and women’s cell president Bharti Mehta released two videos in which Tejashwi Yadav is seen saying that “Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar gave him a chance to work”. In the second video with regard to the teacher’s appointment, Tejashwi Yadav says that “Shri Nitish Kumar is not a leader who says but a leader who does”. Published – September 14, 2024 08:00 pm IST