As the Bihar Assembly elections draw near, a debate has emerged within the Mahagathbandhan coalition regarding its Chief Ministerial candidate. With the elections scheduled for November 6 and 11, and results expected on November 14, the alliance, spearheaded by Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress, is facing questions regarding its leadership.
Congress leader Udit Raj has stirred the political landscape by suggesting that while Tejashwi Yadav is the RJD's choice for Chief Minister, the INDIA bloc, of which both parties are members, has not collectively decided on its leader. "He may be the chief ministerial face for the RJD... but the INDIA bloc's chief ministerial face will be decided collectively," Raj stated. He further added that any party supporter is free to name their leader as a potential Chief Minister, but the INDIA bloc's candidate is yet to be determined, pending a decision from Congress headquarters.
Tejashwi Yadav had earlier declared himself as the CM face during the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in August, in the presence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He has also expressed confidence that the Mahagathbandhan will form the government and has promised to address unemployment in Bihar. In a recent post on social media, Yadav asserted that under his leadership, every household in Bihar would have employment opportunities. "When Tejashwi becomes the CM, there will be no house in Bihar which will have unemployed youth," he stated.
Despite Yadav's assertions, the Congress party has remained hesitant in officially endorsing him as the alliance's Chief Ministerial face. Rahul Gandhi, during his visits to Bihar, has notably refrained from explicitly supporting Yadav's candidacy. This silence has fueled speculation about potential rifts within the Mahagathbandhan.
The RJD, however, remains firm in its stance, maintaining that Tejashwi Yadav is their sole choice for the Chief Minister's position. As the heir apparent to Lalu Prasad Yadav and a former Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav possesses a strong base of support among young voters and backward communities. In the 2020 Assembly elections, he led the RJD to win 75 seats, marking the party's best performance in years.
Udit Raj's recent statement has highlighted the growing unease and differing opinions within the Mahagathbandhan regarding the Chief Ministerial candidate. It remains to be seen whether the Congress will fully support Tejashwi Yadav or attempt to assert a larger role in the alliance, potentially leading to divisions within the INDIA bloc.
With less than a month remaining until the Bihar Assembly elections, the Mahagathbandhan faces the challenge of uniting behind a single leader. While the NDA, led by Nitish Kumar, appears stable, the opposition's strength hinges on its ability to rally behind a common face, avoiding fractures due to competing ambitions. The upcoming weeks will be crucial in determining the Mahagathbandhan's strategy and its ability to present a unified front to the electorate.
