Nitish Kumar has been hijacked by the BJP and their National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will not be form government in the Bihar assembly elections later this year, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said on Tuesday after meeting the Congress leadership in Delhi where he discussed the agenda for the polls and scheduled another meeting in Patna on Thursday.
Tejashwi met with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, to discuss the seat-sharing formula for the Mahagathbandhan alliance in the Bihar elections. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said the meeting was positive and another will is scheduled in Patna on April 17.
"We had a meeting and had positive discussions. We will meet again on 17 April in Patna and are determined to take Bihar forward. The Centre is doling out a step-brotherly treatment and even after 20 years of NDA rule, it remains the poorest state. Nitish ji has been hijacked and NDA will not come back to power," he said.
Tejashwi on Mahagathbandhan's Bihar CM face
Responding to queries about their alliance's chief ministerial candidate, Yadav said the RJD and Congress will discuss and decide on a CM face unanimously and that the poll strategy will be taken in the next meeting.
Sources said a coordination committee comprising all constituents of the Mahagathbandhan will be formed during the meeting scheduled for 17 April. As for whether Pashupati Paras will join the Mahagathbandhan, sources say that all options remain open.
The Mahagathbandhan will contest the Bihar elections with a strategy based on:
- Combined strategy
- Combined narrative
- Combined implementation
Bihar elections
A high-stakes political battle is anticipated in Bihar, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — comprising the Janata Dal (United) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the Bharatiya Janata Party — set to face off against an opposition alliance that includes the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Left parties.
While the elections are expected to be held between October and November, the official dates are yet to be announced.