People of state to decide INDIA bloc’s CM face: Congress

Patna: Congress’s Bihar incharge Krishna Allavaru on Thursday again avoided giving a clear reply on who would lead the INDIA bloc in the state, saying instead that the decision was one for the people of Bihar. His remarks have further complicated matters in the opposition camp ahead of the assembly polls with the seat-sharing deal still unresolved.

The RJD has consistently projected party leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav as the oppn’s chief ministerial face, though he has so far only been named chairman of the INDIA bloc’s coordination committee.

When asked by reporters why the bloc has not declared its CM candidate despite holding several meetings, Allavaru struck a diplomatic note. “The people of Bihar have to decide who will be the chief minister of the state. Why are you in a hurry?” he told the reporters in Patna.

At a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday, the Congress leader had also deflected the question, placing the responsibility on the shoulders of the electorate. In previous media interactions too, he avoided a direct response, keeping the party’s position closely guarded.

Earlier, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had similarly parried a question on the bloc’s CM face for Bihar. Instead, he emphasised the unity of the opposition leaders and their collective mission to transform the state.

Even as the Congress maintains silence, the RJD’s impatience appears to be growing. On Thursday, its spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan asserted that the people of Bihar had already “accepted” Tejashwi Prasad Yadav as the next chief minister. “There is no ifs and buts over this issue. While the way of expressing this may vary, there is neither disagreement nor confusion about who will be the chief minister. Every individual in Bihar is aware of this,” he said.

Gagan added that Tejashwi had effectively been accepted as CM in 2020, though “administrative manipulation” prevented him from taking the position. “But this time, the people have resolved to make him the chief minister,” he added.