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No deal to elevate Tejashwi as Bihar chief minister, says Lalu Prasad Yadav
Lalu Yadav’s assertion comes against the backdrop of continuing speculation around the timing of Tejashwi Yadav’s elevation
PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday said there was no deal with chief minister Nitish Kumar and his party, the Janata Dal-United to elevate his son Tejashwi Yadav as the chief minister, insisting that right now, their only focus was to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power.
Yadav’s assertion comes against the backdrop of continuing speculation around the timing of Tejashwi Yadav’s elevation. Back in December last year, chief minister Nitish Kumar described Tejashwi Yadav as the leader of the future and underlined that the 2025 assembly elections would be fought under his leadership.
“Right now, our main focus is to oust the PM Narendra Modi-led BJP government from the Centre. There has been no talk or any deal stuck with JD(U) to elevate Tejashwi as chief minister,” Prasad told a Hindi television channel during his visit to Gopalganj on Tuesday.
“We want that opposition parties of INDIA bloc comprising of 18-19 parties should remain intact,” the RJD chief said, criticising PM Modi for declaring from the ramparts of the Red Fort that he would be back in 2024 to unfurl the tricolour.
Yadav said he hadn’t seen a prime minister who made such a declaration from the Red Fort and it only reflects how desperate Modi was to become PM. “But this will not happen as they (BJP) will be ousted from power,” Prasad asserted.
At the Gopalganj circuit house, Lalu Yadav was asked about the possibility of the Opposition bloc, Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA, opting for a convenor.
Yadav said there was no hitch as such. “There will be convenors who would be made in-charge of three to four states so that there is better coordination between parties at the state level. There could be a convenor of the opposition bloc. We will all decide it at the Mumbai meeting collectively,” Lalu Yadav said.
Could Nitish Kumar be appointed as the convenor, someone asked Yadav. The RJD chief didn’t give a direct response. “We will take decisions collectively,” he said.
Yadav added that the Mumbai meeting will also discuss issues such as seat sharing. “Our objective is to put formidable candidates against BJP and NDA candidates,” he said.
