In a bold and potentially destabilising move, Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has declared his intention to contest all 243 assembly seats in Bihar.
"This time, Tejashwi will contest all 243 seats. Whether it is Bochahan or Muzaffarpur, Tejashwi will fight. My appeal to all of you is to vote in my name. Tejashwi will work towards taking Bihar forward... All of us should work together and unseat this government," Mr Yadav had said.
This pronouncement, made during a public meeting in Kanti near Muzaffarpur, is more than a mere electoral strategy; it threatens to unravel the very fabric of the Mahagathbandhan, the coalition formed by the RJD, Congress, Left parties and several smaller parties in opposition to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Mr Yadav's declaration comes on the heels of rising tensions within the coalition, particularly regarding who will be the next Chief Minister if the Mahagathbandhan wins during the November assembly polls, and the key question regarding the distribution of seats. The Congress, along with other smaller factions, has been vocal about wanting a larger share of winnable seats, creating friction in what was meant to be a united front against the NDA. By asserting his intent to contest all seats, Mr Yadav not only sidelined these demands but also positioned himself as the unchallenged face of the Mahagathbandhan-something Congress has yet to endorse.
This statement is a significant misstep. At 36, Tejashwi Yadav appears as a young man in a tearing hurry to become Chief Minister of Bihar. It reflects immaturity. It undermines the collective spirit that is essential for any coalition, especially one that aspires to challenge a well-established ruling party. The euphoria generated during the recent 16-day Voter Adhikar Rally, where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Yadav stood shoulder to shoulder, was meant to signal unity and purpose. Now, Mr Yadav's unilateral declaration casts a long shadow over that moment, risking confusion and disillusionment among supporters.
Coalition politics requires a delicate balance of interests, and Mr Yadav's announcement could be seen as an affront to the principles of cooperation and compromise that the Mahagathbandhan purports to embody. By declaring his intent to contest every seat, he has effectively broken the Coalition Dharma, jeopardising the very unity that could make a formidable challenge to the NDA in the upcoming elections.
The implications of this decision are profound. It not only risks alienating Congress and smaller allies but may also create fissures within the RJD itself. If constituents perceive a lack of unity among their leaders, the coalition's base could waver, leading to voter apathy or, worse, a shift towards the NDA. In a state like Bihar, where political loyalties are often fragile and contingent on the promise of a united front, this internal discord could be catastrophic.
Moreover, the timing of Mr Yadav's statement could not be more critical. With the Bihar assembly elections on the horizon, the coalition should be focusing on articulating a cohesive vision that addresses the pressing issues facing the state: poverty, unemployment, and infrastructure deficits. Instead, by prioritising his personal ambitions over collective strategy, Mr Yadav risks ceding the narrative to the NDA, which can capitalise on this disarray.
According to a C-Voter pre-election survey, Tejashwi Yadav is the most preferred candidate to be the next Chief Minister of Bihar compared to Incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishore and others. But Mr Yadav's popularity has begun to slide downwards from 40.6 % in February to 35.5% in April. (See accompanying Table 1). Once elections are announced and official campaign begins, such falling popularity graphs might slide further, especially if Mr Yadav begins to commit self-goals.
Most prefered candidate for the Bihar CM post as per C Voter survey.
In essence, Tejashwi Yadav's declaration is not merely a political miscalculation; it is a gamble that could endanger the Mahagathbandhan's viability. If he is to lead this coalition effectively, he must recognise that the strength of unity lies in collaboration, not in unilateral declarations. As Bihar prepares for a crucial electoral battle, the stakes have never been higher, and the need for a united opposition has never been more urgent.
(Ajit Kumar Jha is a Consulting Editor with NDTV.)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
