Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Saturday came out with a list of commandments for cabinet colleagues belonging to the RJD.

The commandments included forbidding ministers from purchasing new cars and also from allowing visitors to touch feet.

The instructions are aimed at cutting down extravagance in government departments, ensuring better functioning and public perception. They are also meant to safeguard the ministers from falling prey to the leaders from the Opposition BJP, who have suddenly become overactive after coming out of power.

The Grand Alliance government in the state has at present a 33-member cabinet, including chief minister Nitish Kumar.

“We appeal to the honourable ministers from our party to abide by these requests. No one among them shall purchase a new vehicle for himself in the department allotted to him,” Tejashwi said in the instructions circulated among the RJD ministers.

“No minister from the RJD shall allow any party worker older than him, well-wisher, supporter or any other person to touch his feet. They shall encourage the tradition of wishing with folded hands, saying namaste or aadab among the people,” said Tejashwi in his second commandment.

Another among the instructions is a request to the ministers to be cool, decent and maintain a positive attitude during their interaction with the people and help the poor or needy from all castes and religions on a priority.

The ministers have also been asked not to accept flowers or bouquets from visitors and encourage them to exchange books and pens instead of such things.

“You all will encourage a work culture involving honesty, transparency, urgency and express implementation in all departmental works under the leadership of the chief minister,” one of the Tejashwi’s instructions to the ministers says.

The RJD heir has also asked the ministers to continuously publicise the plans and development works on social media so that the “public could know about the initiatives taken by you.”

These instructions come at a time the BJP, freshly in the Opposition after Nitish quit the NDA to join hands with the Grand Alliance earlier this month, has been relentless in its attack on the new government.

It has been highlighting anything it could lay hands on, including foul language used by the ministers, the criminal cases on them, or the presence of unauthorised people with them at the government meetings.

“The BJP is trying to create a negative impression of the RJD and its leaders and Tejashwi has seen through their game plan. These instructions will help safeguard the ministers and also streamline governance in the state. The books that will come as a gift will go to our library in the state headquarters,” RJD spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan told The Telegraph.

Another RJD leader pointed out that Tejashwi knows that several ministers in the cabinet are inexperienced in governance and the instructions will guide them.