In a recent development in Bihar’s political landscape, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav was officially named the chief ministerial candidate for the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly election.
Following this announcement, Yadav challenged the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to declare its own chief ministerial candidate while accusing the coalition of lacking a clear vision or agenda. His remarks sparked sharp rebuttals from leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who criticised his selection as the INDIA bloc’s CM face, labelling it as a product of dynastic politics and dismissing it as inconsequential.
Addressing the media in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav emphasised the clarity within his alliance regarding their leadership choice. He stated, “We’ve never been confused about this. We’re clear on this matter. But the question is, who will be the NDA’s face? So far, no joint press conference has been held, no vision revealed, no agenda announced, and no Chief Minister announced. Amit Shah’s statement clearly shows that Nitish Kumar is not going to be made Chief Minister.”
Yadav’s pointed remarks referenced Union Home Minister Amit Shah, suggesting internal ambiguity within the NDA about its leadership for the upcoming election.
Yadav further outlined his ambitions for the state, declaring, “My only dream is to make Bihar number one.” He stressed that the RJD was committed to realistic promises, stating, “We make no broken or false promises,” in an apparent jab at the NDA’s campaign approach.
The BJP was quick to respond, with several leaders launching a counteroffensive. Union Minister Giriraj Singh dismissed Yadav’s candidacy, saying, “This is not astonishing anymore. Lalu Yadav has very adamantly announced his son as the CM candidate. This is not a ‘gathbandhan’ but a ‘thugbandhan.’ Nitish Kumar is the NDA’s CM face.” Singh’s remarks reaffirmed the NDA’s support for incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, while accusing the RJD of promoting dynastic politics.
BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya echoed Singh’s sentiments, accusing the Mahagathbandhan of attempting to revert Bihar to what he described as the “dark era of Jungle Raj.” Maurya called the alliance a “Mahathugbandhan” and labelled its leaders as “symbols of scams.” He further dismissed Yadav’s announcements as “empty rhetoric,” suggesting that the RJD’s promises lacked substance.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad took aim at Yadav’s pledge to provide government jobs, calling it “impractical”. He elaborated, “He has promised to provide government jobs to 2.6 crore people, which would cost around Rs 12 lakh crore, while Bihar’s total budget is only Rs 3 lakh crore. From where will he provide jobs?” Prasad’s critique highlighted the financial infeasibility of the RJD’s job creation promises, questioning their practicality given the state’s budgetary constraints.
At a rally in Aurangabad, BJP national president JP Nadda framed the Bihar election as a contest between progress and regression. He described it as “a fight between ‘vikaas’ (development) and ‘vinaash’ (destruction).” Nadda accused the RJD of representing “Rangdari, Jungle Raj, and Dadagiri” (extortion, lawlessness, and bullying), while crediting Nitish Kumar with steering Bihar away from years of lawlessness and toward development.
Adding to the BJP’s criticism, the party’s IT cell head, Amit Malviya, described Tejashwi Yadav’s projection as the CM face as “mere tokenism” orchestrated by the Congress. Malviya claimed that Yadav had been “politically diminished” by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that his candidacy was a superficial move rather than a genuine leadership endorsement.
The Bihar Assembly election, which will determine the fate of the 243-member legislative body, is scheduled to occur in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results set to be announced on November 14. As the campaign intensifies, the sharp exchanges between the Mahagathbandhan and the NDA underscore the high stakes and polarized narratives surrounding Bihar’s political future.
Also Read: Mahagathbandhan names Tejashwi Yadav as Bihar CM face
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