Patna: The opposition INDIA bloc on Thursday declared RJD leader and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate for the Bihar assembly elections.
Announcing at a press conference, which was attended by all coalition partners, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot asserted that the decision was backed by his party’s de facto leader, Rahul Gandhi and national president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Gehlot also said Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni, who belongs to the extremely backward class, would be one of the deputy chief ministers if the INDIA bloc forms the government, along with a leader from other sections of society, who would occupy the same post.
The decision to project Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial candidate is seen as a significant boost for the Mahagathbandhan alliance, especially among youth and backward caste voters. However, rumblings were evident in the Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s absence from the alliance’s poster, which featured only Tejashwi Yadav’s photo. Independent MP Pappu Yadav said, “The vote will happen in the face of Rahul Gandhi and no one else.”
The seat-sharing issue, however, remains unresolved, with at least 11 Assembly seats witnessing contests between allies of the Mahagathbandhan.
Gehlot questioned the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for not announcing their Chief Ministerial candidate, citing the example of Maharashtra, where Eknath Shinde was projected as the CM face before the elections, only to be replaced later. He also criticised the Election Commission, calling it “partial.”
Tejashwi Yadav, while addressing the press conference, thanked everyone for making him the CM face and attacked the NDA for “using” CM Nitish Kumar. “Amit Shah is using a different language than he did in the last polls. This time, he is saying that the MLAs would elect the CM. I am worried as a fellow Bihari,” he said, accusing the Nitish Government of rampant corruption and anarchy.
“A large number of scandals took place but no action was taken.”
He said the NDA had not released any manifesto. “It is only stealing my announcements on old age pension, women empowerment, fee power, etc. They have no vision of their own. When I was in power, we did a caste survey and increased reservations to 65 per cent. But the anti-backward government at the Center did not include it in Schedule 9 of the Constitution,” he alleged.
Yadav promised a “new Bihar” if elected as the CM, vowing to create new job avenues in the state and ensuring that no one has to go out of the state to find a job. He also stuck to his promise of providing one government job for each family in Bihar. “The NDA talks about ‘jungle raj’. Not a day passes that people are not murdered and girls are not sexually assaulted. There is no action against the guilty.”
“We will not make any compromise with corruption nor law and order,” Yadav said. He added that despite ruling for 20 years, Nitish could not bring prosperity to the state and that it remains one of the poorest in the country. He alleged that the BJP was trying to divide the society on the line of caste and creed.
CPI-ML General Secretary Deepankar Bhattacharya also addressed the press conference, swearing to change the government in the upcoming elections. The announcement of Tejashwi as the Chief Ministerial candidate is considered a significant victory for him, given the Congress’s earlier reluctance to acknowledge him as the CM face.
