A tussle between RJD and Congress regarding the Chief Ministerial face has already begun.
NEW DELHI: Tensions between the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) within Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan have surfaced well before the upcoming Assembly elections, scheduled to take place later this year. The internal discord over leadership positions has once again come to the forefront, raising questions about the alliance’s unity.
A source within the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar informed The Sunday Guardian that although the elections are still months away, the tussle between RJD and Congress regarding the Chief Ministerial face has already begun. According to the source, the controversy was triggered by a recent statement from Congress MP and senior leader Tariq Anwar, who suggested that the party with the highest number of MLAs should lead the government. This stands in contrast to RJD’s demand that Tejashwi Yadav be the CM face of the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar.
Earlier this week, Tariq Anwar reiterated his stance, acknowledging that while RJD is the largest party in the alliance and carries greater responsibility, the traditional practice has been to let the party with the most MLAs hold the Chief Minister’s post. His remarks have further fueled speculation about discord within the alliance, hinting at a potential power struggle between the two major partners.
However, Tariq Anwar is not the only Congress leader to make such comments. Congress MLA Ajit Sharma had earlier stirred controversy by stating that the MLAs of the Grand Alliance would decide the Chief Ministerial face only after the election results. Although he later clarified that the final decision would be made by Congress’s top leadership, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, his statement added to the growing uncertainty surrounding the alliance’s leadership.
These remarks come just a day after a joint meeting of Mahagathbandhan leaders, chaired by Tejashwi Yadav, where he called upon all alliance partners to remain united. Despite the appeals for unity, the conflicting statements made by Congress leaders indicate that internal differences within the Mahagathbandhan persist.
Interestingly, a recent meeting attended by RJD, Congress, and the Left parties (CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML)) saw leaders asserting that there was no disagreement over Tejashwi Yadav’s leadership within the alliance.
Meanwhile, RJD leader Shakti Singh Yadav, while speaking to The Sunday Guardian, dismissed the ongoing remarks as insignificant, stating that such comments are merely individual opinions and do not reflect the stance of the alliance as a whole. He emphasized that the party remains focused on a broader vision and firmly reiterated that Tejashwi Yadav will be the Chief Ministerial face of the Mahagathbandhan.
Furthermore, he assured that the Mahagathbandhan allies will convene soon to engage in discussions aimed at strengthening the alliance for the greater good of Bihar. According to him, unity among the coalition partners remains a priority, and any differences will be resolved through dialogue in the best interest of the alliance.
A political analyst familiar with the developments told The Sunday Guardian that with the Bihar Assembly elections approaching, the ongoing friction between RJD and Congress over leadership positions could present a serious challenge for Mahagathbandhan. Whether the alliance will manage to sustain its unity or succumb to internal strife remains to be seen in the coming months.Mahagathbandhan faces discord in Bihar