"We Are Forming The Government": Lalu Yadav To NDTV Ahead Of Bihar Polls

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday declared that the Mahagathbandhan alliance was poised to return to power in the state, expressing full confidence that his son, Tejashwi Yadav, would soon occupy the Chief Minister's chair. 

Speaking to NDTV during his first outing in this election's poll campaign, Lalu Yadav said that the people's verdict was clear and that a change of government would be seen on November 14. 

"We will form the government," the former chief minister told NDTV. "Tejashwi Yadav will become the Chief Minister." 

Lalu Yadav, who has largely stayed away from direct campaigning in recent years due to health issues, has re-emerged as a strategist for the Mahagathbandhan -- the opposition coalition led by the RJD and supported by the Congress and Left parties. "The election campaign is going on very well. The alliance will win. The local leaders are working well. There is massive support from the people. Tejashwi is getting people's support," he said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Tejashwi Yadav, the alliance's Chief Ministerial face, is contesting from the Raghopur constituency in Bihar's Vaishali district, a seat he has held since 2015. He faces a direct challenge from Satish Kumar of the BJP and Chanchal Kumar of Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj party.

While the RJD camp projects confidence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharpened his attacks on the opposition during a day-long campaign in north Bihar, targeting both Lalu yadav and Tejashwi Yadav without naming them directly. Speaking at a rally in Katihar, the Prime Minister accused Tejashwi Yadav of attempting to "hide the sins" of his father, noting the absence of Lalu Yadav's image on RJD's campaign posters.

"What is sin he is hiding by not having the pictures of his own father, whom you claim to be such a tall leader and was a CM for years, on RJD posters? Perhaps it is because he has become aware that the big leader carries the baggage of jungle raj," the PM alleged. 

The Prime Minister went further, alleging that the RJD was "controlled by the most corrupt family in Bihar" while the Congress, its ally in the INDIA bloc, was "run by the most corrupt family in the country."

Bihar will go to the polls in two phases on November 6 and November 11, before the counting of votes on November 11.