Never heard any PM use such words: Tejashwi on Modi's ‘katta’ remark

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his ‘katta’ remark at a poll rally in Bihar, asserting that he had never heard any PM use such words.

Modi had on Sunday claimed that the Congress had been unwilling to accept Yadav as the INDIA bloc's chief ministerial face, and relented only after the RJD pointed a katta (a crude country-made firearm), at its kanpatti (back of the ear).

Speaking to reporters in Patna, the RJD leader said, “I have nothing to say on the PM’s comment... I have never heard any PM in the country use such words. This shows his thought process. Whenever the PM goes to Gujarat, he talks about IT factories, semiconductor units and data centres... But when he comes to Bihar, he talks about katta.”

In a related development, Yadav also posted an image of a sari with a Rs 500 currency note and the image of Mohiuddin Nagar's BJP candidate Rajesh Kumar Singh next to his serial number on the EVM taped to the packaging, implying that the BJP was trying to bribe women into voting for it.

He also tagged the Election Commission of India saying it had assumed the role of Dhritarashtra (the blind king in the Mahabharata), presumably referring to the clear violation of the model code of conduct.

The PM used the analogy on the campaign trail in Bihar on Sunday, where he addressed back-to-back rallies in Bhojpur and Nawada districts, and highlighted the RJD's reputation for alleged strong-arm tactics and its troubled equations with alliance partners.

"The Congress never wanted to announce the chief ministerial candidate in favour of the RJD. The RJD secured it by holding a katta to the head of the Congress. They have learnt their lessons in the school of jungle raj. Such elements can never do good for Bihar," he had alleged.

The Bihar assembly polls will be conducted in two phases on 6 and 11 November, with counting of votes to be held on 14 November.

With PTI inputs