Bihar’s political arena heats up as polls for five Rajya Sabha seats progress, pitting NDA against a determined Mahagathbandhan. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the state’s opposition chief, has fired volleys at the BJP, framing the contest as a direct confrontation.
‘We embraced the gauntlet thrown by this Rajya Sabha poll and opted to battle BJP head-on instead of surrendering,’ Tejashwi proclaimed from Patna. With Mahagathbandhan at 35 MLAs against the required 41, and NDA needing only three, the odds seemed stacked. But alliances with AIMIM and BSP have leveled the field, he claimed.
Tejashwi revealed ongoing negotiations: ‘RJD partners have relentlessly engaged other outfits, holding several rounds of talks with AIMIM and BSP to rally support for opposition candidates.’
Addressing Nitish Kumar’s candidacy, he remarked with a mix of pity and critique: ‘Our sympathy for Nitish ji remains unchanged. They’re orchestrating this poll just to wrest his chief minister’s seat.’ He harked back to Nitish’s switch from INDIA to BJP, predicting JD(U)’s inevitable decline right then.
Tejashwi likened it to BJP’s Maharashtra maneuvers, where allies are briefly elevated to CM only to be ousted later. ‘BJP destroys every partner to eliminate competition across states,’ he alleged, painting a picture of calculated sabotage.
Venturing into national predictions, he foresaw BJP’s rout in Bengal under Mamata’s leadership and RJD’s entry into Kerala’s electoral fray to block saffron advances.
Contrasting sharply, JD(U)’s Vijay Chaudhary exuded optimism: ‘NDA’s five candidates are set for landslide wins. No uncertainty here—our MLAs roam freely, while rivals corral theirs in resorts. This trust guarantees our triumph.’