Nityanand Rai challenges Tejashwi for a debate

Union Minister Nityanand Rai challenged RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav for a debate. Earlier in the day, Tejashwi Yadav challenged Nitish Kumar for a debate

Patna (Bihar):Union Minister Nityanand Rai on Monday volunteered for a debate with Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav after the RJD leader challenged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the same.

"I challenge him (Tejashwi) to debate with me wherever he wants. Although I am not the CM candidate and Nitish Kumar Ji is busy," Nityanand Rai said. The MoS Home also took the opportunity to attack Tejashwi's poll promise of providing 10 lakh jobs for the youth, where he said the RJD leader is trying to create an illusion among the masses.

"Tejashwi is trying to spread an illusion. How many jobs were given under Lalu regime? 6.5 lakhs jobs were given by Nitish Kumar and only NDA can give jobs. If they couldn't do anything in 15 years (Lalu's tenure) then what will he give now? He is saying all this because he is losing the election," he added.

Earlier in the day, Tejashwi Yadav challenged Nitish Kumar for a debate on the later's achievements in the past 15 years.

The BJP and the JDU had agreed to contest on 121-122 seats respectively in the 243-member assembly. The JDU, which has a share of 122 seats according to the understanding, has given seats to Hindustani Awaam Morcha of Jitin Ram Manjhi from its quota.

BJP had earlier this week formally inducted the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and assigned the party 11 seats as part of seat distribution among allies for the Bihar polls.

Bihar assembly elections will be held in three phases -- October 28, November 3, and 7 and the counting of votes will take place on November 10.

(ANI)