Patna (Bihar) [India], October 23 : After the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar announced RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as their Chief Minister face, Lok Janshakti (Ram Vilas) Chief Chirag Paswan said on Thursday that there is no "natural acceptance" of Yadav's face within the opposition's alliance.
Speaking to the media, Paswan questioned the unity within the Mahagathbandhan, asking whether Tejashwi became the face of the coalition through "fighting, quarrelling, and pleading" or by "instilling fear."
Chirag Paswan's response comes in the aftermath of Tejashwi Yadav's declaration as the official Chief Ministerial face of the Mahagathbandhan for the Bihar elections, earlier today.
He argued that if Tejashwi's candidature emerged after such internal fighting, it reflects a lack of genuine acceptance for him within the coalition.
"After so much fighting, quarrelling, and pleading, or by instilling fear somewhere, if you have been accepted as the chief ministerial face, what kind of acceptance is that... If you have become the CM face after so much conflict, it means there is no natural acceptance of your face within the alliance," Chirag Paswan said.
The Union Minister also reiterated Nitish Kumar as the face of the National Democratic Alliance, stating that it is contesting the elections under his leadership. He noted that, as the alliance consists of five parties, the legislators meeting to choose their leader is a part of normal procedure.
Paswan also asserted that the NDA is working to ensure that Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar CM after November 14.
"We repeatedly say that we are contesting the elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. It is part of the normal process that the legislators will sit together and choose their leader because our alliance consists of five parties... I believe that once again, all the legislators will ensure that Nitish Kumar takes the oath as Chief Minister after November 14," Paswan added.
"The election is being fought under his leadership, and he will remain the Chief Minister. But they (Mahagathbandhan) have sidelined all other faces just to project one face," the LJP (Ram Vilas) Chief said.
The 2025 Bihar elections will have the main contest between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal, includes Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP).
Additionally, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj has staked claims to all 243 seats in the state.
The Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14.