New Delhi: Bihar’s political arena is ablaze with a war of words and images as the state gears up for the upcoming elections. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA launched a scathing attack on RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, son of former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, invoking a controversial scene from the iconic Bollywood film “Deewar.”
Chaudhary, referring to Lalu Yadav’s conviction in the fodder scam, provocatively stated that Tejashwi should write “mera baap chor hai” (my father is a thief) on his hand, mirroring the scene where young Amitabh Bachchan’s character is forced to do so by goons. This inflammatory remark has added fuel to the already intense political rivalry.
“Fodder was stolen in Bihar. There is a film of Amitabh Bachchan in which ‘mera baap chor hai’ is written on his hand. Tejashwi Yadav will also have to write the same,” Chaudhary was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The verbal sparring has spilled into the streets of Patna, with a full-blown poster war erupting between the RJD and the NDA. Near the Income Tax Office and Veerchand Patel Marg, a poster directly targets Lalu and Tejashwi Yadav, displaying the provocative phrase: “My father is a fodder thief, vote for me,” alongside an image seemingly depicting the father-son duo riding a buffalo, a visual metaphor laden with political symbolism.
Another poster takes aim at the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government, alleging that its focus has been misdirected towards serving “son-in-laws” rather than the public good. This poster features images of several prominent leaders within the NDA, including Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, Minister Ashok Choudhary, and former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, each alongside their respective sons-in-law, highlighting nepotism and family-centric politics as alleged failings of the government. The poster playfully signs off as a message from a fictitious “National Son-in-law Commission – NDA,” adding a layer of satirical commentary to the political discourse.
While neither set of posters openly declares its origin, the brazen display of political messaging emphasises the intensity of the upcoming election contest in the state.