Daijiworld Media Network - Patna
Patna, Jan 9: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav stirred political speculations on Wednesday with his remarks suggesting that the INDIA alliance was formed solely for the Lok Sabha elections. His statement, made while commenting on the Congress-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) conflict in Delhi, has triggered a heated exchange of words in Bihar's political circles.
Yadav stated that the INDIA bloc's primary objective was to defeat the BJP in the general elections, and disagreements between the Congress and AAP were not unexpected. However, he reaffirmed the alliance's strength in Bihar, saying, "As far as Bihar is concerned, we have been together from the start."
RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tewari added further intrigue, suggesting that Congress should prepare to contest all 243 seats in the upcoming Bihar assembly polls rather than relying on an alliance. "Congress needs to understand its position on the ground. Earlier, they contested 70 seats, and the results were evident. They should aim to strengthen themselves rather than focus on a limited number of seats," Tewari told.
In response, Congress Legislature Party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan retorted sharply, stating, "If anyone underestimates Congress, Congress will respond accordingly."
The war of words has also drawn comments from the ruling JD(U)-led NDA in Bihar. JD(U) National Spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan claimed that the INDIA bloc is crumbling under its internal contradictions. "The exchanges between RJD and Congress leaders indicate that the bloc in Bihar is on the verge of collapse. Even if they contest together, their chances are slim; as separate entities, the struggle will be even more pronounced," Ranjan said.
This discord comes weeks after RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav voiced his support for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to lead the INDIA alliance, further hinting at strategic tensions within the coalition.
Political analysts in Patna believe it is too early to predict the end of the RJD-Congress partnership. However, the RJD's positioning appears to be a strategic move to pressure Congress into settling for fewer seats during upcoming seat-sharing negotiations.