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The RJD leader, with his youth image, hopes he can appeal to new Biharis with his pitch for a better life but seems to be weighed down by Gandhi’s decision to fall back on rhetoric
The first joint rally, unfortunately, grabbed headlines not for the development pitch by Tejashwi, but for Rahul Gandhi’s statements. (PTI)
In the caste-driven politics of Bihar, two development issues have come to occupy centre stage—employment and a strong law-and-order system.
RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav wants to break out of his father’s mould and hence, he knows he has to be attractive to the young and aspirational Biharis. That’s only possible when he talks about what they want, which is jobs.
This is why, in speech after speech, he has asked for one chance for his party and said that he will ensure each family has one employed person. Many argue this is easier said than done, but this is how Tejashwi wants to project himself.
Aware that his father Lalu Prasad Yadav’s past is something he has to overcome, Tejashwi has made maintenance of law and order one of the pillars of his slogan.
When Nitish Kumar took charge of Bihar and joined hands with the NDA, the coalition focused on development or ‘Vikas’ as the mantra. The ‘Sushasan Babu’ tag has ensured that Kumar remained in power. While the NDA wants to make this their USP, the Mahagathbandhan is keen to puncture the narrative. Tejashwi, with his youth image, hopes that he can appeal to new Biharis with his pitch for jobs and a better life. This is also why he did not mention ‘Vote Chori’ in his campaign as he wants to keep the focus on development and not allow any diversion.
Rahul Gandhi, however, threw a spanner in the works. When Gandhi raised the ‘Vote Chori’ issue, the silence of the RJD leader was apparent. Not just this, Gandhi’s mocking of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Chathh Puja and saying he was doing the “Bharatnatyam dance for votes” made matters worse. The first joint rally, unfortunately, grabbed headlines not for the development pitch by Tejashwi, but for Rahul Gandhi’s statements. This has given ammunition to the BJP, making it convenient for the party to attack the Mahagathbandhan on Gandhi’s words rather than Tejashwi’s idea of a new Bihar.
The strain in the alliance is apparent, but for the sake of taking on the BJP, the Congress and RJD are in it together. As the discomfort becomes more obvious, will it have an impact on the result and the fortune of Tejashwi Yadav?
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als…Read More
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als… Read More
October 30, 2025, 10:38 IST
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