‘The pot calling the kettle black’, says JD(U) leader Ashok Choudhary after Tejashwi accused NDA of ‘favoritism’

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar with Minister Ashok Choudhary. File photo | Photo Credit: The Hindu

A day after Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav accused the ruling NDA government for practicing “favoritism” and demanded that the government to set up a “sons-in-law commission” to adjust their kith and kin, senior JD(U) leader and minister for rural works department Ashok Choudhary on Monday (Jue 16, 2025) responded to Mr. Yadav, saying, “the pot calling the kettle black”.

“The pot calling the kettle black? Tejashwi Yadav should practice what he preaches to others. Whose son he is? What is his qualifications? And what is qualification of his mother Rabri Devi to become chief minister of Bihar? Who are two of his sisters: one is party MP and the other contested Lok Sabha poll unsuccessfully in 2024? People who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others”, senior JD(U) leader and minister of Rural Works Department in chief minister Nitish Kumar-led cabinet, Ashok Choudhary said on Monday.

Earlier on June 15, Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav who is also Leader of Opposition in state assembly had accused Mr Choudhary whose young son-in-law Sayan Kunal has, recently, been made member of Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT). Mr. Kunal’s wife Sambhavi Choudhary is daughter of Ashok Chaudhary and MP from Samastipur parliamentary constituency. “Sayan Kunal is my son-in-law from just one and half years back. He is son of Acharya Kishore Kunal who had established as many as nine hospitals, including a cancer hospital, in the state. Who doesn’t know Kunal Saheb?”, reacted Mr Choudhary.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday (June 15) while addressing media persons at his official residence in Patna, had accused Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar for appointing sons-in-law, wives and daughters of ruling party leaders at several reconstituted commissions of the State and demanded that the government should form a “jamai Aayog (sons-in-law commission)” to adjust relatives of party leaders in veracious commissions. Mr. Yadav had also shown appointment papers of sons-in-law of party leader Ashok Choudhary, late Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan, ruling coalition partner Hindustani Awam Mochra (Secular) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, wife of principal secretary to the chief minister Deepak Kumar and daughters of working president of JD(U) Sanjay Kumar Jha. “Mrinal Paswan, son-in-law of later Ram Vilas Paswan has been a dedicated political worker since long and more qualified for the post. Wife of Deepak Kumar is similarly, highly qualified to become member of the state Women’s commission. He (Tejashwi Yadav) should look at himself first before pointing fingers at others”, Mr Choudhary fumed.

According to the RJD leaders’ accusations, Mrinal Paswan, son-in-law of late Ram Vilas Paswan and brother-in-law of LJP (Ram Vilas) Chirag Paswan has been appointed as Chairman of Bihar Scheduled Castes Commission while, HAM(S) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi’s son-in-law Devendra Manjhi has been appointed as vice-chairman of the Commission. Similarly, party colleague Ashok Choudhary’s son-in-law Sayan Kunal has been made member of BSBRT. “The Nitish Kumar-led government has recently reorganized the commissions and boards in the state but, running a special arrangement commission in which sons-in-law of the ruling NDA leaders and wives of influential officials have been adjusted. “The chief minister and the Prime Minister give lectures to RJD on the issue of nepotism but remain silent on their own reality”, Mr. Yadav alleged.

While referring to Rashmi Rekha Sinha, wife of CM’s principal secretary Deepak Kumar, Mr. Yadav accused that she has recently been made member of Bihar State Women Commission (BSWC) but “in the official notification her identity was concealed by giving her father’s name, instead of her husband”. “Similarly, two daughters of JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha have been given the post of Advocate on Record in Supreme Court by the Central government. They are in Group-A panel counsel for conducting the central government litigation before the apex court”, Mr Yadav charged. “How many officers’ wives have got government’s jobs? how many officers have sent their children abroad? how many officers children have formed consultancy forms and working with the state government and how many officers have invested in Bihar and abroad?”, he asked further.

“Whatever he (Tejashwi Yadav) is saying is sheer double standard. The ironic accuser is applying different sets of rule to different people”, Mr Choudhary added while, others against whom Mr. Yadav had labeled charges of “nepotism” could not be contacted.

Published - June 17, 2025 08:57 am IST