‘Applies to me too’: Rahul's riposte to Tejashwi's ‘marry soon’ barb at Chirag Paswan

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s witty riposte to a comment by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav during their joint press conference in Bihar’s Araria, on Sunday (August 24), had everyone in splits.

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Convened in the midst of Rahul and Tejashwi’s ongoing Voter Adhikar Yatra, the press conference was, predictably, high on scathing criticism of the BJP and the Election Commission on the issue of the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the poll-bound state. From Rahul and Tejashwi to CPI-MLL’s Dipankar Bhattacharya and Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahni, the Opposition leaders slammed the alleged “partnership” between the BJP and the EC for “vote chori” (vote theft).

Marriage banter lightens presser

During their interaction with the media, Tejashwi was asked by a journalist how he viewed the BJP ally and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan’s comment about the RJD functioning like an appendage of the Congress party in Bihar. Hitting out at Paswan, Tejashwi said it was the LJP-RV chief who repeatedly called himself Narendra Modi’s Hanuman to emphasise his loyalty to the Prime Minister. “Woh vyakti vishesh ke Hanuman ho sakte hain, hum log janta ke Hanuman hain,” Tejashwi said, suggesting that while Paswan’s loyalties were towards an individual, the Opposition was loyal only to the people of Bihar.

The RJD leader then went on to dismiss Paswan’s comments, saying “no one cares about what he says and I don’t wish to respond to him” and added, “he is (like) my elder brother and so I will only advise him, 'jaldi shaadi kar lijiye' (get married soon)”.

Tejashwi’s remarks prompted Rahul to quip, “yeh mere par bhi applicable hai” (this applies to me too), triggering a burst of laughter from journalists and the leaders seated alongside Rahul, while, in a candid moment that diffused the serious ambience of the press conference for a brief moment, Tejashwi replied, “Papa (Lalu Prasad Yadav) toh aapko kabse keh rahe hain (my father’s been telling you this for so long)."

Rahul’s quip thwarts controversy

A Bihar Congress leader present at the press conference later told The Federal that Rahul’s witty repartee had prevented the BJP and its allies, including Paswan, from making an “unnecessary issue out of Tejashwi’s swipe” at the LJP-RV chief, who is the son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, Bihar’s most prominent Dalit leader.

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“Given their habit of making a controversy out of any inane issue, Paswan or the BJP could have used Tejashwi’s comment to hit out at Rahul and asked Tejashwi if he had given the same advice to the person seated next to him (Rahul)... with his unscripted intervention, Rahul lightened the mood of the press conference and also prevented the BJP and Paswan from stretching this matter further,” the Bihar Congress leader said.