Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, who has been declared the chief ministerial face of the Mahagathbandhan for the two-phase Bihar assembly elections, took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday and said that the saffron party does not want incumbent CM to remain at the top post after the polls.
Yadav, a former deputy chief minister of Bihar, also said there was no confusion about the grand alliance's CM face, but wondered who is the candidate for the top post in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the BJP, Janata Dal United (JDU), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Manch (RLM).
"But the question is, who will be the NDA's face? So far, no joint press conference has been held, no vision has been revealed, no agenda has been announced, and no Chief Minister has been announced," Yadav told news agency ANI.
Tejashwi Yadav's dig at Amit Shah
Yadav, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, also took a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said his remark shows that Kumar will not be the CM after the elections. Shah, speaking with media outlet earlier this month, had said that the next chief minister will be made after the elections as per the choice of the elected MLAs.
"Amit Shah's statement clearly shows that Nitish Kumar is not going to be made Chief Minister. He stated that after the elections, the MLAs of the legislative party will choose their leader. BJP doesn't want Nitish Kumar to become Chief Minister," Yadav said.
Tejashwi Yadav, the CM face of Mahagathbandhan
Yadav on Thursday was declared the grand alliance's chief ministerial face for Bihar polls in an effort to show unity by the opposition camp. The announcement was made by Congress troubleshooter Ashok Gehlot, a day after he met Yadav and his father Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna.
Yadav, who is 35-year-old, can become the youngest chief minister of the Mahagathbandhan comes to power in the state. Notably, Yadav's RJD was last in power in 2000s, except for a brief period when it had formed short alliance with Kumar's JDU.
Mahagathbandhan's poll manifesto to be released on October 28
Mahagathbandhan manifesto for Bihar elections will be released on October 28 in presence of Yadav and other leaders of the opposition camp. Apart from RJD, the alliance includes the Congress, Left parties and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP).
The polling for elections to the 243-member Bihar Assembly will take place on November 6 and 11. The counting of votes will take place on November 14.
