RJD claims Tejashwi to be CM in 2023, JDU rubbishes the claims

RJD state unit president Jagandanand Singh claims that Tejashwi Yadav will be the CM in 2023. This has created political turmoil in Bihar, writes ETV Bharat's Amit Bhelari.

Patna:The claim of RJD state unit president Jagandanand Singh, that Tejashwi Yadav will be the CM in 2023, has triggered political turmoil in Bihar. While speaking to the media on Thursday in New Delhi, Singh claimed that Nitish will fight for the country and in 2023, he will hand over the baton to Tejashwi Yadav. Singh had categorically stated that he was talking about the CM post for Tejashwi.

However, a JDU leader today outrightly rejected the claim of the RJD state unit president saying that they don't even take notice of such statements. “We don't even take notice of such a statement,” JDU state unit president Umesh Kushwha said when asked about it at the party office.

When the same question was posed to JDU national president Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh at the party office, he passed the question to the state unit president saying that the RJD state president has issued the statement so our state president will respond.

JDU minister Sumit Singh said, “We want our leader to be strong and go ahead to lead the country. Anything will happen on the day of our chief minister. Only the CM can answer what he thinks about this issue. As far as my opinion is concerned, I want our leader to continue as CM. I don't listen to what others are saying. Only the top leadership takes the decision. Once our leader will occupy the post of PM in 2024, then Bihar would be handed over to him (read Tejashwi). As of now, there are no such talks.”

Former deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader who is currently Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi took a dig at Bihar CM alleging that though the agreement was made that Tejashwi will be CM in 2023 but Nitish will not let it happen.

“Whatever Jagdanand Singh is saying is correct because that's the agreement made between RJD and JDU. However, Jagda babu is living under an illusion. Nitish Kumar has not stuck to any agreement he has made with anyone. A deal may have taken place but cheating, and betrayal has become a part of his nature now. Nitish cheated Lalu twice, he cheated BJP twice, he cheated Jitam Ram Manjhi once and three times he has cheated the people's mandate in Bihar. The person who has cheated seven times in the last 10 years be it political leaders or the people of Bihar, he will cheat Lalu once again,” Modi said.

He further said, “If Lalu Ji really wants his son Tejashwi to become the CM, I will suggest not to wait for Nitish. Lalu Ji just break five MLAs of JDU and your son will become the chief minister of Bihar. The Speaker of the assembly is yours and Nitish Ji cannot do anything. Nitish Ji knows that he will lose both ends. He will lose the CM's chair and at the same time, forget about becoming Prime Minister. Even he knows very well that he cannot become PM. So I must say that Nitish Kumar will not make any such mistake by handing over the CM's post. Never trust Nitish Kumar, agreement may have taken place but must remember that cheating and betrayal are the nature of Nitish Kumar.”

Another BJP leader claimed that Laju is interested in making his son CM but at the same time not bothered about Nitish at all.

“RJD president Jagadanand Singh has correctly said that Tejashwi Yadav is going to be the CM. But at the same time, RJD national vice president Shivanand Tiwari has already predicted that after Tejashwi becomes the CM, Nitish Kumar will retire and go to Ashram. Even if we say that Lalu Ji is, of course, interested to make his son the CM but why would he bother about Nitish Kumar Ji because it is Lalu Ji who doesn't allow his caste man to rise? For instance, when Mulayam Singh Yadav's name was making rounds for PM post, Lalu said that he commit suicide by drinking poison,” BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.

After returning from New Delhi, Jagdanand spoke to the media at the party office and claimed that his statement was twisted and no timeline has been fixed yet.

“No timeline has been fixed yet as far as Tejashwi becoming the chief minister of Bihar is concerned. When the 2024 Lok Sabha election comes, Nitish Ji will have to roam around the country because the country is looking at him. We have accepted him to lead the country. I had reacted to Nitish Ji leading the country in 2024 but people manipulated my statement. No need to worry, If Nitish will lead the country, Bihar will not be vacant. If Nitish will lead the country, Tejashwi will lead Bihar," Singh said at the party office.

Meanwhile, Tejashwi on Friday reacted to the issue of becoming CM of Bihar in 2023 claiming that he has no such aspiration.

“There is nothing as such and we are running a very good government in Bihar. People keep on saying and I would urge them to refrain from issuing such statements. I have no such aspiration to become anything and I am also not in a hurry. My only motive was to remove BJP from power. We have thrown BJP out of power in Bihar and we will do so at the national level as well. Under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, we are running an excellent government in Bihar. Slowly and gradually we are fulfilling our commitments. CM is the leader of the grand alliance,” Tejashwi said in Patna.

He further said, “I think such questions should not even arise, who will become CM and when? Nitish Ji is already the CM and under his guidance, I am working. However, the well-wishers and those who like someone talk like this. Nitish Ji is busy uniting the opposition to fight against the communal forces. Even Nitish Ji had said that he has no wish and desire to become PM. This is not the time to talk about such issues. Our only motive is to remove the fascist forces from the country the way we did in Bihar."