RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav ignited a political controversy on Sunday, October 5, 2025, by alleging that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s ‘erratic’ conduct at a recent virtual function hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised serious concerns about his ‘mental health’ and his fundamental ‘ability to run the government.’
Yadav, who previously served as Deputy Chief Minister and now leads the opposition, shared a video of the event on his social media handle. The footage showed the Chief Minister participating virtually from his residence in New Delhi.
In a provocative social media post, Yadav questioned, ‘Can this mental state of the Chief Minister be attributed to his close aides who might be tampering with his food at the behest of his alliance partner, the BJP?’
Later, addressing reporters, the prominent young leader elaborated, stating, ‘For quite some time now, the Chief Minister has been exhibiting behavior that suggests he is not in a sound state of mind. He has made insensitive remarks about my mother, Rabri Devi, a former Chief Minister, and about women in general. On one occasion, he was even seen acting inappropriately while the national anthem was playing.’
Yadav further referenced the video footage from the previous day’s event, where Kumar was observed staring intently with folded hands at his computer screen, even as senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary delivered his speech. ‘Yesterday, we witnessed yet another instance of his unpredictable conduct,’ Yadav remarked.
He unequivocally declared, ‘It is evident that the Chief Minister no longer possesses the capability to govern the state effectively. A hidden syndicate is currently dictating affairs, and its machinations will soon be brought to light.’
In a sharp rebuttal to the opposition leader’s accusations, Neeraj Kumar, an MLC and spokesperson for the JD(U), the Chief Minister’s party, asserted, ‘Nitish Kumar is the visionary leader who has diligently worked to restore Bihar’s political, social, and economic well-being. Tejashwi Yadav should, perhaps, direct his concerns towards his own ailing father, Lalu Prasad, the RJD president.’
Yadav was also pressed on a recent press conference held by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, who had criticized the RJD’s previous 15-year rule under Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, citing widespread lawlessness and corruption.
The RJD leader responded to this by stating, ‘The BJP has been a part of the state government for two decades. They have achieved very little and seem to lack any clear vision for the future. Therefore, their strategy is simply to discredit their political rivals.’