Tejashwi named Oppn CM face; Sahani surprise deputy CM pick

The Opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar on Thursday named Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani as its deputy chief ministerial face for the assembly polls next month, attempting to project a united face after weeks of squabbling over seats.

- Anirban Guha Roy

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who met Yadav, RJD founder Lalu Prasad and former CM Rabri Devi on Wednesday, made the announcement at a joint presser in Patna attended by the top leaders of all the seven constituents of the alliance.

“All allies in the INDIA bloc including our leader Rahul Gandhi have decided that Tejashwi will be our CM face and we will fight the election unitedly. The decision has been taken after consultation with all allies and our president Mallikarjun Kharge,” Gehlot said.

The alliance, which is hoping to dislodge chief minister Nitish Kumar from power after four consecutive terms, has been riven by public infighting over choice of candidates and seats, and is still facing “friendly fights” in at least nine seats. But the announcement allowed Yadav to throw the ball into the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) court and ask whether Kumar will continue as CM if the ruling coalition won.

“I would like to highlight the injustice that is being done to Kumar. The NDA has held no such press conference to declare its CM candidate. We have been saying for a long time that the BJP will not let Kumar become the CM again.

The fact is, Kumar is not enjoying good health and the JD(U) is in the clutches of three-four leaders who are working for the BJP and are out to finish off the party after the elections," Yadav said.

Gehlot, considered one of the top troubleshooters of the Congress, also declared that VIP chief Mukesh Sahani will the deputy CM face, fulfilling one of the key demands of the mercurial leader who has never won an election but claims sizeable support of the boatmen and fishermen communities.