Patna, Apr 15 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) on Tuesday claimed that the Congress has snubbed RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav by allegedly refusing to declare him as the chief ministerial candidate of the opposition Mahagathbandhan.

Yadav, who is in Delhi, met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, in the presence of top leaders of both parties.

Yadav urged the media not to speculate over Mahagathbandhan’s (grand alliance) chief ministerial face and said the constituents would talk among themselves and decide.

“I don’t know why you all are worried about the CM face; we will talk among ourselves and decide. Things will become clear; you all should not worry about it,” the former deputy chief minister said.

In a video message shared on his X handle, JD(U) MLC and spokesman Neeraj Kumar said, “Tejashwi Yadav has been put on the waiting list by Congress. His father Lalu Prasad, the RJD president, had been cajoling the Congress to declare his son as the CM candidate. It looks as if a student wants to be declared the topper before appearing for the exam”.

Kumar added, “Lalu Prasad has become a cripple, politically. A reason why it is putting up with the insult from the Congress. We wonder what happened to the RJD’s political conscience”.

Meanwhile, the JD(U)s ally BJP also sought to fish in the troubled waters of Mahagathbandhan.

BJP OBC Morcha national general secretary Nikhil Anand said, “The main issue between RJD and Congress, at the meeting in Delhi, was not seat sharing….. It is obvious that RJD is uncomfortable with the involvement of Kanhaiya Kumar and Pappu Yadav in the activities of Bihar Congress”.

“RJD is seriously averse to Tejashwi Yadav sharing the stage with Pappu Yadav or Kanhaiya Kumar. In the last election, Tejashwi Yadav had even threatened to boycott Rahul Gandhi’s rally if he shared the stage with Kanhaiya Kumar”, claimed Anand.

“It remains to be seen whether the Congress will continue to do the RJD’s bidding, as it has done in the last 35 years”, added the BJP leader. PTI NAC RG