Tejashwi Yadav Accuses Nitish Kumar of Derailing Bihar's Recruitment Drive After 2024 Government Change
Bihar Opposition leader and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav has accused Nitish Kumar of disrupting the state's employment drive by ending the Mahagathbandhan government in January 2024. He alleged that the change in government affected the progress of the recruitment initiatives and weakened the broader promise of providing 10 lakh government jobs to young people in Bihar.
In a post on social media platform X on Monday, Tejashwi recalled the large-scale teacher recruitment initiative carried out on November 2, 2023, when appointment letters were issued to 1,20,336 newly recruited teachers. He described the recruitment exercise as an important step towards fulfilling the employment commitments made to the state's youth.
Tejashwi Recalls November 2023 Recruitment Drive
The November 2, 2023 recruitment programme was organised under the Mahagathbandhan government, which was led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at the time. The initiative involved the distribution of appointment letters to 1,20,336 teachers selected through the Bihar Public Service Commission recruitment process.
The main ceremony was held at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, where around 25,000 newly recruited teachers received their appointment letters. The remaining appointment letters were distributed through events organised in different districts of the state. The recruitment covered primary, secondary and higher secondary school teachers.
The large-scale appointment process was presented by the state government as a major recruitment initiative. Tejashwi, who was serving as Deputy Chief Minister at the time, had described the exercise as a significant achievement for Bihar's young people.
The recruitment drive also became part of a wider political discussion about employment and the government's commitment to creating job opportunities. The RJD had repeatedly highlighted its promise of providing 10 lakh government jobs to young people, an issue that had featured prominently in the party's political campaign.
Dispute Over the 10 Lakh Jobs Promise
Employment was one of the major issues raised by the RJD during the 2020 Bihar Assembly election campaign. Tejashwi Yadav had promised to focus on government recruitment and create employment opportunities for the state's youth.
After the Mahagathbandhan government came to power in August 2022, the employment commitment became an important part of the government's public messaging. Nitish Kumar also spoke about the target of providing 10 lakh government jobs and creating additional employment opportunities.
The November 2023 teacher recruitment exercise was widely highlighted as progress towards that commitment. In January 2024, Nitish Kumar said the state government was working towards achieving and exceeding the target of 10 lakh government jobs. He also referred to the number of appointments made through the ongoing recruitment process.
The employment initiative, however, became a subject of political disagreement between the RJD and its then alliance partner, the Janata Dal United. Both sides were involved in discussions over the credit for the recruitment programme and the promise of government jobs.
Nitish Kumar's Political Shift in January 2024
The political situation in Bihar changed in January 2024 when Nitish Kumar ended his alliance with the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. He resigned as Chief Minister on January 28 and subsequently formed a new government with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.
The change brought an end to the Mahagathbandhan government's tenure and altered the political arrangement in the state. The RJD moved into the Opposition, while Nitish Kumar continued as Chief Minister with the support of the NDA.
Tejashwi has now linked that political development to the progress of the employment programme. He alleged that the change in government disrupted the recruitment drive and affected the larger commitment made to young people.
His latest remarks reflect the RJD's criticism of the political shift and its effort to highlight employment as an important issue in Bihar. However, the allegation that the change in government stalled the broader jobs promise represents Tejashwi's political assessment and should not be treated as an independently established conclusion.
Employment Remains a Key Political Issue in Bihar
Job creation and government recruitment have remained significant issues in Bihar's political debate. The state has a large population of young people seeking employment, and recruitment announcements often attract considerable public attention.
The teacher appointment drive in November 2023 was an important development because of the scale of the recruitment process. The distribution of 1,20,336 appointment letters demonstrated the scale of that particular exercise. It also became a major point of discussion between political parties over employment commitments and responsibility for recruitment.
The RJD has continued to highlight the recruitment initiatives undertaken during its participation in the Mahagathbandhan government. On the other hand, Nitish Kumar and the NDA have also referred to recruitment efforts and government employment targets during their time in office.
Tejashwi's latest statement has brought the debate back into focus. By recalling the November 2023 appointments, he has sought to draw attention to the employment commitments made during the Mahagathbandhan government's tenure.
The wider question concerns the progress of government recruitment in Bihar and the extent to which employment targets have been fulfilled. Political claims from different parties need to be assessed alongside official recruitment figures, government announcements and verified employment data.
For now, Tejashwi's accusation has renewed the political discussion over the 10 lakh jobs promise and the impact of the January 2024 change in government. Employment is likely to remain a prominent issue in Bihar's political debate as parties continue to present their records and commitments to the state's young population.
