Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, who was recently declared the Chief Ministerial candidate by the opposition’s Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) for the upcoming Bihar Elections, has officially hit the campaign trail, asserting that the state is “fed up” with the incumbent NDA government.
In an exclusive interview on Saturday morning at his 1 Polo Road residence in Patna, the 35-year-old former Deputy Chief Minister dismissed any suggestion of internal confusion within the seven-party Grand Alliance and presented a clear vision centered on “Viksit Bihar,” combating unemployment, and ending migration.
Bihar is scheduled to vote in two phases—November 6 and 11—with results announced on November 14. The Mahagathbandhan, which includes the RJD and the Congress, is challenging the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Janata Dal United (JD-U) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
United Mahagathbandhan and CM Face Clarity
Yadav robustly defended the timing of his nomination, countering criticism of a delay. “Who says there was a delay? There is a time and a place for everything. In fact, we are ahead of the NDA. They have not announced the name of any CM candidate,” he stated, pointing to comments by Amit Shah that MLAs would decide the CM face post-results.
He insisted the alliance is united, despite some reports of infighting, saying the Congress was not hesitant to name him as they had already entrusted him with the chairmanship of the Mahagathbandhan coordination committee since the 2020 elections.
Addressing the issue of “friendly fights” in a few seats among alliance partners, Yadav described them as “non-issues” in the context of Bihar’s 243 constituencies, citing the Mahagathbandhan’s success in Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir despite similar contests.
Focus on Jobs and Economic Development
Yadav pledged to prioritize economic issues, notably promising a government job to every family without a member in government service and vowing to regularize community mobilisers, known as Jeevika Didis.
When questioned about the funding for these promises, he said: “I do not make announcements without research and expert advice. Last time, they also raised questions when we had promised jobs. And we created 5 lakh jobs during the 17th month when I was the Deputy CM. We will deliver what we promise.”
He slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s schemes for women as a “copycat government,” arguing that a cash scheme of just ₹10,000 is insufficient to start a business, and accused the NDA of “exploiting the women voters of Bihar.”
Countering ‘Jungle Raj’ and Hijacked ‘Chacha’
The RJD leader strongly rebutted the opposition’s “Jungle Raj” allegations, which have been revived against his party. He redirected the charge at the current administration by citing a recent incident where a person from a backward community was allegedly beaten up, requiring opposition intervention to get an FIR filed. “Isn’t this jungle raj?” he asked.
He criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for delivering speeches “filled with negativity” and not offering “anything concrete.” Yadav squarely blamed the NDA government for Bihar’s lack of industrial growth: “Why are factories going to Gujarat? Why are factories not being set up in Bihar? They want factories in Gujarat and victories in Bihar. That is what their strategy is.”
On his fractured relationship with his former CM and ‘Chacha’ (uncle), Nitish Kumar, Yadav was unequivocal: “Chacha (uncle) has been hijacked by the BJP. The BJP is using his health condition to gain sympathy and is merely cashing in on his face value. I still maintain, he won’t be the CM.” He also ruled out any future collaboration with the JD-U, stating, “JD-U has become a cell of the BJP. It is finished.”
Deputy CM and Campaign Plans
Yadav confirmed that Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani is a Deputy CM candidate but left open the possibility of another, possibly a Muslim face, to represent a larger spectrum of the population, stating, “Let’s wait and watch.”
He confirmed that top INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, along with Akhilesh Yadav, are slated to campaign in the state, with momentum expected to pick up after the Chhath festival.
Offering a final prediction for November 14, Yadav confidently stated that the Mahagathbandhan would form the next government. On his own fate as Chief Minister, he concluded, “When Tejashwi becomes CM, 14 crore people of Bihar will become CMs – the chief ministers.”