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Patna: Just before the Bihar Assembly elections, the opposition Grand Alliance on Thursday demonstrated unity by declaring Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav as its Chief Ministerial candidate. The Grand Alliance also nominated Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni for the Deputy Chief Ministerial post. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot made this announcement at a joint press conference in Patna. However, a “friendly fight” is still ongoing within the alliance over seat-sharing for 11 seats, raising questions about unity.
“Leaders from other castes will also become Deputy CMs”
Leaders from the RJD, Congress, VIP, and Left parties in the Grand Alliance attended the press conference. Ashok Gehlot said, “We have all decided to support Tejashwi Yadav as the CM face in these elections.” Describing Mukesh Sahni as the Deputy CM face, he said, “Mukesh Sahni comes from the Extremely Backward Classes. In addition, other leaders from backward castes will also be made Deputy CMs.” Gehlot had clarified that there is no major dispute within the alliance and that disputes over 5-10 out of 243 seats are normal.
Tejaswi attacks NDA, questions Nitish
Tejaswi strongly targeted the NDA in a press conference. He said, “The Grand Alliance has announced its CM face, but it is still unclear who the NDA’s CM face is. The BJP has betrayed Nitish Kumar. Now, the BJP has destroyed Nitish Kumar and will destroy his party after the elections. If the BJP’s intentions are clear, then it should announce that Nitish Kumar will become the Chief Minister after the elections. Amit Shah’s statement clearly shows that the BJP will not make Nitish the CM.”
JDU-BJP counterattack, “There is no vacancy for the CM post.”
The NDA immediately responded to Tejashwi’s challenge. Addressing a rally in Saran, JDU Working President Sanjay Jha said, “The leaders of the Grand Alliance may continue to dream of making anyone the Chief Minister until November 14th, but there is no vacancy for the Chief Minister’s post in Bihar. Nitish Kumar will be the Chief Minister of Bihar until 2030.” Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “Today it is clear that the Congress has surrendered to the RJD. If a party that calls itself the country’s oldest national party becomes a stooge of a regional party, then imagine the condition of the Grand Alliance.”
Poster Controversy: Why was Rahul Gandhi’s photo missing?
The press conference sparked a new controversy. No one other than Tejashwi’s photo was displayed on the stage, angering Congress supporters. Independent MP Pappu Yadav said, “Rahul Gandhi had created an atmosphere for the Grand Alliance in Bihar. Rahul Gandhi’s name is the only source of votes. But today, Rahul Gandhi’s photo wasn’t even put on the poster. This is wrong. Such arrogance will cause harm.” The NDA fueled the controversy. Chirag Paswan said, “Today, Tejashwi Yadav’s arrogance has been exposed. If he didn’t want to put Rahul Gandhi’s photo, he could have at least put photos of the leaders of the allied parties sitting on the stage. The Bihar Congress president belongs to the Scheduled Castes, yet he didn’t even put his photo up. This shows how much respect Tejashwi has for Dalits.”
Friendly Fight: Two candidates each still contest 11 seats
As of Wednesday, Grand Alliance candidates were contesting in 14 seats. Nominations were withdrawn today in three seats: VIP’s Bindu Gulab Singh Yadav in Babubarhi, Congress’s Tauqeer Alam in Pranpur (who had filed nominations from two seats but will now contest only Barari), and Congress’s Satish Kumar in Warisaliganj. However, friendly contests remain in 11 seats: Kahalgaon, Gaurabauram, Biharsharif, Rajpakar, Vaishali, Narkatiaganj, Chainpur, Beldaur, Kargahar, Sikandra, and Sultanganj. Mukesh Sahni’s brother Santosh Sahni (VIP) and RJD’s Afzal Khan are contesting in Gaurabauram. The RJD asked Afzal to withdraw his candidacy and even issued a letter, but Afzal said, “I haven’t received any calls. The letter could be fake. I am standing firm and will win.”
Despite Lalu’s refusal, these leaders persist.
Despite Lalu Yadav’s categorical refusal, several leaders are contesting against the Grand Alliance candidates. These include some disgruntled RJD leaders, such as Ritu Jaiswal (who filed as an independent candidate) in Mohaniya, and rebel candidates in other seats. Prashant Kishore of the Jan Suraj Party also stated that the Grand Alliance’s feuds will lead to their own defeat. Pappu Yadav also questioned the alliance’s decisions. These leaders are ignoring Lalu’s instructions and standing against the alliance, increasing the risk of vote division.
NDA’s strong campaign, Nitish’s rallies
On the other hand, there was no visible seat-sharing within the NDA. Nitish Kumar held three rallies today. He avoided sharp attacks on the opposition, focusing on his own achievements. Nitish said, “In 20 years, we have transformed Bihar. We have eliminated organized crime, improved infrastructure, and created 1 million jobs and 4 million in the last five years. This trend will continue.” Those who questioned Nitish’s health are surprised by Nitish’s energy. The NDA may benefit from anti-incumbency. The NDA’s campaign will intensify from Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming to Bihar, while Home Minister Amit Shah will also hold rallies. On Thursday, PM Modi, while addressing BJP workers, also targeted the opposition alliance.
Unity came late, but time is short
The saying goes, “Better late than never,” but many experts believe that it took too long for everything to fall into place within the Grand Alliance. Two months ago, Tejashwi was looking strong, but a dispute arose in the Grand Alliance over seat sharing and the demand for a Deputy CM. Lalu wanted Tejashwi as the CM face, Congress wanted seats of its choice, and Mukesh Sahni wanted the post of Deputy CM. For now, things have been finalized at the top, but the squabbles among the workers at the ground level remain. The elections are in full swing, Nitish is holding rallies, while Tejashwi was busy resolving disputes. Now, his campaign will begin tomorrow. The first phase of voting for Bihar’s 243 seats will be held on November 6, and the second phase on November 11. The results will be declared on November 14.
