Congress Divided Over Mahagathbandhan's Chief Ministerial Candidate in Bihar
Bihar Politics: Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, a dispute is brewing within the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) regarding its chief ministerial candidate. Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Akhilesh Singh, has declared Tejashwi Yadav as the Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial face. He explicitly stated that Tejashwi Yadav is the Mahagathbandhan's candidate for the chief minister's post and there should be no confusion on this matter.
Referring to the 2020 Assembly elections, he mentioned that Tejashwi Yadav was also the Mahagathbandhan's chief ministerial candidate then, and this time, as the Leader of the Opposition, he remains the contender for the post.
Akhilesh Singh's Strong Rebuttal
Akhilesh Singh also bly reacted to statements made by some party leaders, stating that some individuals have a habit of making statements that could be detrimental to the party. He asserted that Congress is serious about the Bihar Assembly elections and is working diligently across various regions.
Akhilesh Singh's Response
Akhilesh Singh launched a sharp attack on Bihar Congress in-charge, Krishna Allavaru, who had stated that the Mahagathbandhan's CM candidate would be decided in a Mahagathbandhan meeting and that Tejashwi Yadav was not being accepted. Singh retorted that only those lacking political understanding could make such statements. He reiterated Tejashwi Yadav's position as the chief ministerial candidate, emphasizing that there should be no doubt about it.
Advice to Congress to Contest Within the Mahagathbandhan
Akhilesh Singh also advised Congress to contest the elections within the Mahagathbandhan, arguing that contesting alone would be suicidal for the party. He added that the BJP lacks the strength to fight the elections alone in Bihar and is strategizing with leaders like Nitish Kumar, Upendra Kushwaha, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Chirag Paswan.
Akhilesh Singh's Strong Rebuttal to BJP's Response
BJP's national spokesperson, Ajay Alok, responded sharply to Akhilesh Singh's statement. He claimed that Congress only has the capacity to contest around five seats independently in Bihar and must remain within the Mahagathbandhan. He added that the Mahagathbandhan needs to resolve the CM candidate dispute and focus on winning seats before discussing the chief ministerial candidate.
