In an apparent bid to dispel notions of a friction between ruling allies RJD and JD(U) over the chief ministerial face in 2025 assembly elections in Bihar, deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Wednesday said he was not in a hurry to become the CM and underlined that incumbent CM Nitish Kumar was well capable of remaining in the post for long.
“I am not in a hurry to become the chief minister. Our ultimate aim is to defeat the BJP in the 2024 parliamentary polls. We cannot allow communal forces to return to power for our own selfish desires,” Yadav told reporters in Jehanabad and Gaya after reviewing projects related to tourism, one of the many portfolios he holds.
Asked whether RJD feels betrayed over the changing stand of JD(U) over the chief ministerial face, as reflected in recent statements by JD(U)’s national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh and national general secretary K C Tyagi, the deputy CM said they had said nothing wrong.
Two days back, the JD(U) national president had said that no decision had been taken on CM’s face of the grand alliance for 2025 polls. Going a step further, Tyagi had said Nitish Kumar would be the CM face even in 2030 assembly polls. On Tuesday, Singh had amended his statement, saying Tejashwi Yadav would be the CM’s face in 2025.
“Why should I feel betrayed. And whatever they have said about 2025 and 2030, there is nothing wrong. 2025 is still far away. Besides, CM Kumar is an experienced leader and I too feel he has the capability and would gain more experience if he works for more years,” Yadav said.
In the same vein, the deputy CM said that the grand alliance government, comprising seven parties, was working fine and there was no problem as such. “ Our coalition government is working fine. There is no problem. People should not harbour any confusion,” he said.
On Tuesday, an RJD MLA, Vijay Kumar Mandal, had claimed that CM Kumar would himself make Tejashwi Yadav the chief minister in March and move for a national role to unite the opposition ahead of the 2024 parliamentary polls.
JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar had dismissed Mandal’s statement as rubbish.
“After the statements of Lalan Singh and K C Tyagi, the reaction from the deputy CM suggests he and CM Kumar are trapped in a unique situation where they are unable to react properly on any issue. This is why, their statements are filled with taunts and sarcasm,” BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.
Seesaw in the state
JD(U) and RJD first formed a government together in Bihar after the 2015 assembly polls they had fought in alliance. Two years later, CM Kumar snapped ties with RJD and realigned with BJP to form a new government. The two parties fought the 2020 assembly polls in alliance and formed the government. However, in August last year, Kumar’s JD(U) broke up with BJP and realigned with RJD and Congress to form another government.
